Brittle Glass
by Pakkrat
Summary: The titans treat Raven oddly after the ordeal with Trigon. Her friends feel she's like brittle glass, ready to break and cut them. However someone does not see that he sees so much more. Also a clown criminal and organization called The Brood!SladeRaven
1. Chapter 1

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 1: Beast Boy's annoying…

Note: Promised you all a romantic Slade/Raven fic without an end-of-the-world drama, where here it is. If you could read "Flickering Shadows" which also has Slade/Raven but some great action.

Sitting at the commons table a pale skinned girl sits and reads her hard binding book with a steaming mug of tea. The aroma of the tea soothed the girl's nerves nearly as much as this book, an epic little story she enjoyed every now and again. She wears this leotard and hood always, but only because she had a feeling crime might play up tonight. Still, she had a change of clothes ready for the late evening; she looks up and is slightly surprised, it was late evening! 'Aw…' the purple haired short cut girl, of purple amethyst eyes stood to lay down her book with a marker at her current spot. She had a prior engagement she needed to keep. This lady, by the way is named Raven.

Raven is a teen titan, the dark anti-social one everybody nearly forgets when the news plays on. However, her team didn't forget her especially after the past week. Raven makes towards the hall to her room when a large metal guy jumps up from the couch, "Hey! Rae, what you up to?" Raven swerved only to have him speedily dash off the couch to the hall, holding a wrench set he asks "You want to go supe-up my baby? We can talk and…" Raven finagles around the blocking tin gladiator called Cyborg snapping "No Cyborg, I'm busy!"

Cyborg watches as the green hummingbird flies over his head with a game, dropping it on Raven's head she stops to grab it. Looking at it she moans the green bird turns to a green boy, Beast Boy, "Hey! I got this cool fighting game, how bout you and me go…" the green changeling's lips are grabbed and he's pulled out of the way, "Not interested."

Cyborg and Beast Boy blink, then the next one to get involved was Starfire, the orange girl and friend of Raven. "Oh, there you are friend and companion of the same gender! Allow me to introduce you to," Starfire holds open her hands, "Plushie Puppies! They are huggable and adorable, and have loving phrases from whence they speak!"

Raven now looks on these things her eye twitching, she says, "Starfire… no." she makes a move but Starfire floats in the way, "They are very relaxing and enjoyable!"

"Damn it no!" Raven's eyes glow and the Plushie Puppies falter with their heads to the side, I mean, their heads are on the side of their bodies. Starfire looks tearfully as Raven floats faster to her room, inches from salvation! Then the last one, masked and in his red judo outfit was Robin, "Oh, hey Raven I just…" Raven screams slamming the leader on the wall "NOOO!" and floats through her door into the room locking it. Robin peels off slowly to then look on his other three friends sort of twirling their feet and whistling. Robin glares before asking "What happened?"

Starfire stands pushing her fingers together, "We were concerned for Raven as after the incident of her father, she has not completely confided in us as of her feelings."

Cyborg nods, "Yeah Rob, we just figured we might be able to get her to open up a little there's no way after that she's not a little upset."

Beast Boy chimes in "That and they made me because…" Cyborg and Starfire glare on Beast Boy, "What… oh… um, I mean I was worried too…"

Robin sort of gives them a snarl but slowly he melts to a smile, "Okay listen, we all just need to let her have some space, Raven deserves that more than ever." The others seem to moan and Robin shrugs, "Hey, it's either that or take a chance these little plushies aren't the only ones without heads tonight."

The three now take a gulp and step away slowly. Robin smiles before turning to the door worriedly, Robin raps his fingers on it asking "Raven? Are you okay?"

The door opens and darkness seems to be all that's there, but a voice asks "Are you?" the door closes again, Robin shrugs, "Maybe, maybe not, the more important thing is if you aren't you should talk about it."

The door opens; the voice asks "What happened to leaving me alone, I thought I deserved it." The door is still open so Robin says "You do deserve your privacy Raven. Just remember we're here if you want to talk about it."

Raven seems to be quiet a little while debating what to say, "Thank you." She says that and closes the door. Robin grins, "Sure thing."

* * *

It was a dark room and nothing remotely enjoyable looks at this form. He's sitting there alone, like usual, but some times he wonders why the hell that is. Well actually that's obvious, he was a murdering madman, what better reason for being alone? Looking at the clock he sees the time, not too late or early, just right to go out. Should he though?

Letting off his steam earlier he was sure he could probably keep from a fight… probably. Taking to his training sessions he calmed down a lot. That and after a small recess of watching old clips of his most talented battles, and the battles of his adversaries, he had let loose a little. His one eye seems to scan this morbid room and finally it relays to his mind, 'God… you're a boring bastard…' he stood up grabbing a long black trench, wrapping it tightly he exits in his outfit under this coat. His mask he undoes and let's lay at the table, and to the side of that mask he now picks up a black eye-patch putting it on he smiles, "This will be just fine I guess." Slade motions to the door grinning, "Who knows, maybe I'll find 'True Love'." Slade chuckles as he was joking to himself who in their right mind would give a man like this the time of day?

* * *

The door opened with Raven exiting with her casual wear on. She looks kind of nice, though roughish in the clothing she chose. Black jeans and a black top with 'Daddy's Little Girl' in the front, that was so far from the truth but Raven went for a more delved reading, it was mentioning she was a demonic being not right to be with anyone. Hell, that was an understatement; she was damned to be alone. To know only once she found happiness with someone and that only lead to… Raven shakes her head, she's being erratic.

Raven hears Cyborg whistle in jest mainly, she looks good alright but Cyborg is not interested in her like that. Neither is Robin since he has Starfire and Beast Boy, well, he's just annoying. Sure he had his moments, and time again someone mentions how sweet he is to her or how cute they may be together, but soon enough he makes a mistake that really hits home with her. Like what he says in **3…**

Beast Boy asks, "Hey, where you headed?" **2…**

"Out, I'm going out." **1…**

Beast Boy smirks as she's at the door, "Try not to end the world while you're out this time, okay?" **Houston****, we have the crap hitting the fan…**

Beast Boy was lying on the couch watching some television when it and he are lifted in the air with "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" chiming the room. The sofa lifts up and slams Beast Boy under it, he squeezes his head out seeing Raven's glowing eyes, and some tears before she leaves the tower. Beast Boy blinks asking, "Dude, what did I say?"

Cyborg walks over and lifts the couch; Starfire helps up Beast Boy as Cyborg snorts, "Something stupid, as usual."

"Dude! All I said was… it was a joke man!"

Robin was sitting at the table reading a paper, he had some things he was inspecting, "We know Beast Boy, but the joke wasn't a good one."

Beast Boy shrugs, "I thought it kind of was funny."

* * *

Raven is hurrying, or rather storming with fists bearing and teeth clenched. After all that happened he said that, he actually said that! The nerve, the blasted nerve of saying a thing like that! Raven barrels so fast down the walk she bumps into a figure, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she screams faster than usual and bolts up her fist to the face of some man. The man stammers back screaming as his head bends up with a crack, he felt that for sure.

Raven stood there a moment with her fist in the air looking at the figure lying on their back stretched out. Her face now faults with her jaw wide. "Oh my Azarath…" she steps over to the man and looks him over; he's breathing so he's not dead. The punch was mixed with her powers, she could have killed some men in that hit but he seems resilient. She noticed his face, the white hair did not fit the face of what seems a relatively older man, but not so old to have all this white. Then the shaven chin, he must have just recently shaved as he has a small shaving-cut on the lower crest of the chin. Then the eye, she notices his patch and motions a hand over to it.

The man now moans, Raven jumps back and off her crouched position, "Um… are you okay?" she asks with slight worry she has the titans in a criminal charges case for assault. "Assess moving zebras?" Raven blinks to those words, the man is rubbing his head and she gulps, "Oh no, I gave you brain damage!"

The man grins slightly, "No my dear, more like what you said, Assess moving zebras. I never heard a person scream that, let alone before hitting someone."

Raven lets out a pant of relief, he didn't hear her chant. Raven stands up and offers a hand but he's already up on his own. Raven blinks, he's a fast healer too especially after that hit. Then, he's towering over her with his hands on his hips. He shows a playful leer as he asks, "So, who is it that struck me with such a magnificent punch?" Raven shifts slightly, she has an alias, time to use it. "Rachael, Rachael Roth. You can just call me Raven though, everyone else does."

"Raven," The man puts his hands at his tailbone and circles her, she's confused but stays still like a recruit at boot camp, "You're the first person in a LONG time to put me down like that in one punch, you work out?" he grins slightly, "Actually, I can see you do a little but nothing drastic."

Raven looks back seeing his eyes on her butt, "Hey! Watch it!"

"I was." The man grins, "By the way it's Wilson."

Raven raises a brow, he smiles saying "Slate Wilson, it's my name. But most just call me Wilson, or Will. I prefer Wilson as I'm not much of a Will."

Raven nods, "I see, Will." Will grins as she chose to call him that, "So now that we exchanged names I guess we'd better be off on our merry little ways." Will nods, "I agree though I did enjoy meeting you my lady."

Raven smirks a little before taking to a door near her; this was her little private place. The little coffee house and pastry spot with people who were quiet Goths who sat there, sat listening to some music band or poetry sessions as they spent their time reading or making the lesser conversations with people. Raven then notices someone else's hand, she looks up to Will who looks just as surprised, she asks "You come here?"

Will nods, "It's a way of saying I'm interacting with humanity without actually doing it." He smiles handsomely, "The only people here who talk normally only talk with the ones they enter with. Not a place for real interaction, is it?"

Raven smiles half smile, "I enjoy it for that one reason." She looks at the door and then Will, "You… wouldn't want to join me tonight would you?"

Will looks at her, his eye seems a slight surprised and then calmed, "Why," he bows his head and arm under his side, "I would be most honored to sit with you."

Raven blushes a little asking "Could you not do that, it's embarrassing."

Will stands and shrugs, "You let people bother you too much my dear, who in their right mind would be so obsessed with you?" he stops and smirks, "Well, aside from your beauty it's not like you're a teen titan or something." He chuckles as he enters the building. Raven sighs as she was a teen titan… "Hey, wait a sec." Raven blushes a little more, "He said…?"

* * *

Three figures stood on the roofs watching, one slightly taller he growls lowly and tosses a cigarette on the ground, "Damn the target has met with someone!"

The other, smallest one has a slightly squeaky voice, "Gee, did hell just freeze over or what?"

The other figure chuckles before being punched in the head by the larger one, this figure speaks in a deep Irish accent, "That was not so kind a thing to do laddie,"

"Shut up!" the first, leader figure snaps out, "You know what's going to happen if… he finds out we don't finish the job!"

Note: I am not going to make a giant deal on the end-of-the-world like before. But I did think it would be cool to have something around a group of criminals in this story. You will see later, but for now its Review time! What did you all think, was this better than Flickering Shadows?


	2. Chapter 2

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 2: Check it out, a talking donut!

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or anything from a DC comic. Trust me people, I wish I did.

Raven sat at her normal table, somewhere to the one corner darkest and farthest from everything else. Will was pretty pleased with the choice too as it allowed him a perfect view of the whole room. This was the same table he took when he came; somehow these two had not met ever before at this café. Will made several notices he knew this girl. She seems very familiar especially her face and that Chakra on her forehead. What was it she gave him in a chill bothered him yet he hasn't been one to ignore a chance to enjoy himself.

After they sat down Raven was quiet, he figures she was not one to begin a conversation luckily he was. "Raven," She looks up with a cup of coffee steaming under her with both hands grasping the mug, "So tell me what exactly makes a girl like you take the company of a complete stranger?"

Raven blinks once, then she blushes and shies her eyes, "I'm not the kind of girl to you know… if you think I am."

"Good heavens no!" Will grins a little to that reaction, "I meant a girl so shy, and reclusive normally would not chance her privacy with me. I'm not the most trustworthy of people."

Raven looks at Will, "Why aren't you? You don't seem that bad."

"No?" Will tilts his head, "Are you so sure? I always figured I had a menacingly masculine charm."

"Perhaps but not so menacing to me." She smirks, "I did knock you out with one punch."

"Ow… my male pride just grabbed itself and dropped like a bag of bricks."

Raven almost let a laugh go on that, he sort of heard something strange happen behind them. Will sees the latte machine has begun to let the foam spray out, it broke? Will turns back around and sees her eyes shying to the ground. 'Something is up with her… but what?'

* * *

The lead figure cocks his one leg onto the roof. He has a new cigarette from his tanned face puffing madly in frustration with his long black hair falling past his shoulders wildly moving with the wind. His eyes are brown, his purple T and blue long coat rustle with the wind. He has denim blue jeans faded and torn, along with boots that have steel tips, "Shit… this is going to go bad. Once he finds we didn't kidnap…" he looks back to the other two, "Any ideas?"

The Irish accented man has his finger up, "Why not go in and chase their bloomin' arse outside?"

The leader snarls before hitting the bald man in a similar outfit over the head, "First, stop that accent! You're not even Irish!"

The man frowns, he speaks in a New Orleans accent, "I guarantee…"

"Ahhh!" the leader hits the man several times, "You're from New York you idiot, we all are!"

The small man has smaller styles of this costume they wear, and shades. He looks like a small child with shades and a pacifier around his neck, "Hey don't mess with him! He's just a little confused is all?"

The lead man grabs his face, "How could I, Razor Beak, get stuck with Pitch and Baby-Bop of all the luck!"

Pitch, the accent switching man uses a Jamaican version, "Yah man, it was all that sleep'in with the boss's daughter… and wife."

Baby-Bop snickers, "At the same time even. I'm just glad the daughter was adopted."

Razor turns slowly his head back on his companions, "Screw… you… both…"

Baby-Bop snickers, "All that screwing around is what got you in trouble as it is! He-he-he!"

Razor lashes at Baby-Bop but Pitch who is much larger and muscular pushes them apart, well he pushes Razor but holds Baby-Bop who was trying to run. Pitch gives a glare to both making them back down. Size is an asset especially with this guy. "Alright, here's what we do lads! We'll flank them from the rear, and all shall go for FREEDOM!"

Baby-Bop sighs, "I hated Brave heart."

"That's blasphemy ya yella livered sewer rat!"

Razor slaps the two over the heads, "Enough! He's not going to take us lightly once we bring him what he wants! We'll do this… hopefully it will work!"

* * *

Beast Boy sat at the couch and flipped channels. He moans with his one tooth out as he was not in a mood for T.V. which for him means something is wrong. Cyborg sat at the other end of the couch. "You know Be she probably will forgive you for it later."

Beast Boy sighs, "Yeah…" he blinks, "Wha, hey! I'm not upset about that I'm upset because… uh…" Beast Boy sweats before stopping on Gilligan's Island, "I'm upset because their still stuck on that island!" Beast Boy snorts as Cyborg blinks, "Stupid Island… thinks she knows everything."

Cyborg grins before lying back in the seat, "Sure…"

Robin walks in and looks up, "Still upset about what happened with Raven?"

Beast Boy slams himself against the floor as Cyborg screams, "Never stopped moping since."

Beast Boy scrambles up saying "Dude, it's not her! It's Gilligan!"

"The Gilligan has replaced the sorrow of angering friend Raven, or merely increased it?" Starfire floats in having Beast Boy falling over but half way he bends straight up screaming "So what if I said something stupid! What am I supposed to do?"

The three say in unison, "Know better."

Beast Boy's ears droop, "Okay… I'll apologize."

Robin shakes his head no and crosses his arms, "Apologies won't work, not with the trick you pulled."

Beast Boy gasps, "No… not that!"

Cyborg grins an evil one, "Oh yeah… that!"

Starfire giggles as she floats to her room, "I will retrieve the necessary materials!"

"Aw…dude…"

* * *

"So that's why I left tonight." Raven finishes with a sip of her coffee. The truth of why she left, overcrowded by her roommates Robert, Cyan, Benji, and Skye. The false names she made up because they resemble her friends. Then how that punk Benji made a remark she found very unnecessary, and it was when she found him. Will nods, "I understand why you tried to kill me now… oh, no actually I don't but I can see why you could."

Raven smirked a little as she drinks a little more, "I really am sorry. I think that's why I wanted you to sit with me to say that I was sorry."

"Apology accepted my dear." Will sips his own drink and looks at her, "My reasons are less complicated. I merely have become too sick of being alone all the time." Raven looks up as she was tracing her cup's rim, "Time and time again I'm alone. The days go by and I have little to look forward to. I guess this is something, but in all true honesty this is the first time I have actually, truly had human contact worth mentioning."

Raven lets herself sink onto the table holding her head up with her right arm, "Wow, I feel like I'm supposed to be honored or something!" Will smiles as he shrugs, "Perhaps you should!"

The two give a little chuckle and then Will asks, "So, how old are you? 18?"

Raven nods yes, "I am, so how old are you?"

"25." Raven gives a glare, "No! I honestly am!" he grabs for his wallet and shows her a driver's license, 25 all right. Will watches her look at the card, him, the card, him, and continuing this he finally sighs, "It was an experiment, the hair I mean." He rubs his right temple, "I was in the military and it caused me to have this hair. A special military experiment was designed but I was altered in several ways. One is my hair is discolored even if my age is not so much."

Raven nods and smiles, that was not too irregular but still she wasn't sure if he was serious. "Were there other kinds of side effects?"

Will shrugs, "I found I am stronger than usual, and I am more enduring than I would expect. There may be others but I try not to think about that." Will looks at Raven and asks, "So tell me about yourself, have you ever been with an older man before?"

Raven looks at her side, "Actually yes. My last… relationship, my boyfriend was older."

Will nods, "Hm, it seems that something happened."

"I'd rather not talk about it." The lights had flickered on and off Will raised a brow before shrugging it off. Will looks up at the clock and smirks, "We've been sitting here talking for an hour and a half straight, a new record for me."

Raven blushes, "Really? M too." She stands up and grabs for her pockets to pay for the drinks, "No!" Will stands up and pulls out a small roll of cash. It puts the roll on the table and smiles, "I should pay, after all you were the best company I had since forever."

Raven shakes her head, "No I hit you it's my way of apologizing."

"You apologized." Will grins a cocky little grin, "In more ways than you think."

The two leave after Raven accepts his offer. At the outside of the doors Will bows his head to her and says "I hope we meet again." He makes to leave and Raven waves, "Count on it!"

Will grabs his chin and walks off thinking about this night. It was the first in a long time he had actually enjoyed himself. Though she was a little bit on the young side, she was interesting. There is a sound, Will looks back slowly and raises a brow, and she was gone? Did she run off that fast? He then hears more noise, the alley back behind the coffee house.

* * *

Raven was walking with her hands at her back. She was smiling and kind of daydreaming about how great that company was. That was why the three sets of arms grabbed her and dragged her into the alley. A set around her legs, a set on her stomach, and a set over her mouth. Raven is pulled into the alley where Razor, Baby-Bop, and Pitch all have her and tie her hands. Raven glares hate on them all, "What do you want?"

Razor smiles, "Oh just to take you to…" he looks down at her chest, "Uh…" he reaches out his right arm and pokes her boob, "What is this?"

Raven's eyes glow before she screams "Azarath Metreon Zinthos!" and then with the energy around her leg she kicks the man's shin. The man grabs his shin and hops on one foot, Raven smiles until Baby-Bop kicks her shin too, she hisses on him making him run and hide behind the hopping Razor.

"I figured Comrade Razor knew the anatomy of the woman!" Razor glares on Pitch, "That's the problem! The guy we were after wasn't a woman!"

Raven blinks, "What?" she now huffs with a vein on her forehead, "You thought I was a guy?"

Razor screams "The first time I saw you was on that roof! I couldn't see your tits… oh, their nice by the way." He smirks before his other shin is kicked; now he grabs this one and Raven yells "Let me the hell go!"

Baby-bop snaps "Hey, you said the dark titan that was named after a bird, Raven!"

"No! He wants the dark titan that was named after a bird… um… that other one! The one that starts with an R!"

"Robin?" Raven blinks, "You mistook me for Robin? You guys aren't that good at your jobs!"

Razor snarls lowly before readying to slap Raven, "Shut-up you…" his hand is grabbed, Razor blinks to the strong gloved hand now clenching and crunching his hand making Razor fall on his one knee. "You know, that's not the way to treat a lady like that!"

Will smirks to Raven who was equally surprised, "I told you, military experiments." Pitch tries to punch Will but to Will the punch is slowed to a crawl, a smirk he bends back a little and pulls Razor into the punch instead. Then time seems to speed up again, Will let's go of Razor and grabs the arm of Pitch twisting the wrist and making him loose grip of Raven. Raven pulls off and away to watch as Will now swings his other arm around Pitch's arm and swings him fully over his shoulder.

Baby-bop leers his eyes before making a jump kick. Will dodges and grabs Baby-bop over the face then hurls the small man into Razor who had pulled himself off the wall. Will now makes a backwards leap over to Raven; she looks blushing at him that was faster than anyone she ever saw, faster than even Robin! "Another side effect, my reaction time is several times faster than normal. It is the closest thing to clairvoyance aside from telepathy."

The three attackers stand up; Razor shakes his head slightly "The hell is this guy?"

Baby-Bop stands wobbling on his feet like a ballerina and his eyes seem to swirl, "Uh… not good… feels like… spinning…"

Pitch steps forward and scrunches his nose before planting his two feet on the ground firmly, then his arms tucked at his sides, "Balderdash, this swanker is mine!"

Pitch's chest seems to expand, he breathes deeper and deeper the air accumulates in his chest like a balloon. Will glares around; he had a bad feeling on this one! They had to be meta-humans those with super-powers! Will sees a metal pipe at the side; he looks back up and waits for Pitch to do something.

Pitch then with a flare of his eyes, pops his mouth and a big ball of churning wind blows out like a huge cannonball. Will kicks his foot to the side, the pipe spirals up and Will grips it with one hand, then grabs along with the other. He plants his feet, looks on the ball as it closes, and with a massive screaming swing Will hits the air-ball to make the ball stop dead in mid-air, then after a moment the pole pushes off the ball as it was bent. The ball flies back and into Pitches mouth, it bulges all the way back into his stomach and Pitch grabs at his stomach. Baby-Bop hears a churning at Pitch's backside, "No way…"

There is a loud sound like a tire screeching and soon the three villains fall in on each other with swirls of dizziness. The air is filled with a stench and Will grabs Raven taking her out of there, "I guess if it couldn't take the front, it took the back exit instead."

Raven and Will run off some distance, finally Will asks "Why did they want you?"

Raven looks up worried, "I think they wanted a friend of mine…" she knew who but she couldn't explain it all yet, if ever. "I have to go home thank you for saving me."

Will smiles, and grabs her hand to kiss it, "My dear, it was all in the line of being a gentleman." Raven is flushed in the cheeks as his lips tenderly pressed on her delicate hand. Raven hears a loud rush of water; they stopped at a fountain when he did this. Will looks at the fountain and blinks, "Weird like everywhere I go something nearly blows up." Will stands tall and smirks, "I'll see you again, tomorrow night at the café?"

Raven looks worried, "I don't know…"

Will thinks, "Hm, here." He grabs a napkin he had from the café he didn't use. Then he takes a pen and writes a number, "Call me when you want to get together again."

Raven holds the number and nods before smiling and running off, "I'll call you soon, I promise!"

Will walks back into the streetlight, its light covers his good eye, but his bad eye was in the shadows, "I look forward to it Raven. This is the first I didn't have to think about those Titans in a long time."

* * *

Raven enters the main room and hears music. She looks to see Beast Boy in a… too-too, make-up, pink wig, and on a unicycle? He does a little balancing act of eggs and plates on poles, with an "I'm Sorry!" look on his face mixed with "OH GOD MAKE IT STOP!"

Raven sighs swishing her hand and removing the poles and objects, "its okay Beast Boy I forgive you." Beast Boy smiles until two eggs fall on his face over his eyes, "Ah!" the unicycle and he roll over into a wall, Raven adds dryly, "Now…"

Beast Boy stands up rubbing away the eggs, "Hey, I didn't mean what I said you know how I can… take things too far at times."

Raven turns around smiling, "Actually if you didn't upset me like that, I may have never met someone tonight."

Raven floats off to her room, Beast Boy grins, "See I hel…" his eyes pop wide as his draw hangs a little, "Met some one…"

Raven nods, "Yep, a real nice guy! I even got his number!" she opens her door and sighs; "You know it was nice to spend time with someone worth the time talking to."

Beast Boy stands there as the door closes. His arms sag as he mumbles, "Yeah… glad I could help…"

* * *

Will enters his dark room and motions to his mask. He removes the coat and puts on the two colored mask to turn to his butler, "Wintergreen! Guess what I did!"

Wintergreen blinks, "You sound irregularly excited!"

"I met a girl Wintergreen," Slade sits on his chair sighing deeply, "I feel she was like a kindred spirit, a soul mate perhaps." Slade thinks back to the night repeatedly, "The only thing that bothers me is these three meta-humans. Wintergreen, look into the dealing of recent criminals in the city, check all scans and printouts if you could. I'll check my databases for any deals, maybe I can find out who the hell they were."

Wintergreen nods, "Yes sir right away."

* * *

The three villains walk into the hideout slowly, Razor gulps as the figure sits with his legs bobbing on each other crossed. "We… failed sir." Razor gulps as he sees the figure cross his fingers over his chest and lays his chin on his hands; a brim hat is visible with a long coat hanging around the silhouette. "We had mistaken the target for another titan, and were attacked. I apologize…"

The figure reaches at his side and points a gun, Razor glares at the gun as it fires. His head bends back and the two others look horrified. Then Razor bends straight back up, he blinks as he reaches and pulls off the dart leaving a red mark on his forehead. The figure's shoulders start to shake, laughter comes slowly and soon Razor follows in a little laughter too. Baby-bop and Pitch do the same they laugh a little bit.

Razor tugs at his collar, he's laughing a little harder. Then he's sweating, his eyes start shaking and his neck veins bulge. He laughs more and more, harder and harder. Baby-bop and Pitch look as they stopped laughing, the figuring is kicking his heels and grabbing his ribs as the laughter grows only from him and Razor. Razor falls on his back, spasms follow his body as he laughs and pitches around. Finally he stops the laughing and his face is fixed in a large twisted smile. The figure's laugh continues as his teeth gleam in the light, his smile is just as twisted if not more than the one on Razor.

The figure stands up with his smile letting his laugh end in a slight chuckle; he wipes a tear away and looks his grin on the two remaining criminals. His voice speaks in a dignified, arrogant tone of whimsy and fancy, "My good men… or man and child?" Baby-bop just watches though anyone else he'd be upset with. "I know your friend meant a great deal to you, but he failed! If I can say one thing, I do not tolerate failure! Now, not only will this delay my plans it also causes me to have to use a more direct approach!" The figure raises the gun, the two criminals grimace but the figure pulls the trigger to only have a flag roll out, the two look and see it reads "Boom." The two criminals sigh in relief.

The figure opens the main doors showing his pale white skin and glossed lips, green hair hides under his brim hat. "Don't worry! I still need you two morons for now. If you do something right I won't kill you… but fail." The two look at the body and grimace. Tugging at his coat of purple, the figure looks up with his cruel eyes and long nose, " He leers his eyes on the sky of a crescent moon as Baby-bop and Pitch step behind him slowly. "Ah! The heavens even agree this was not a total loss I had a few good laughs tonight!" The figure, cackles up to the air as he opens the door of a long purple limo, "Of course, the next few days this city is going to learn how the really laugh… especially my old pal Blunder Boy!" with a last long cackle this fiend squats into his limo and rolls out after the two criminals followed in… slowly and cautiously they followed in.

Note: I said no end of the world scenario. I never meant there was no action! Well, I don't think I did! I specialize in action and plot twists! I mean, Slade is Robin's ultimate nemesis as a Teen Titan; this guy is the ultimate nemesis as the student of Batman! What happens when these two meet, two arch-nemeses with conflicting goals? Read, Review, and in time find out! Also, can you guess who it is (Come on I kind of gave plenty of clues!)


	3. Chapter 3

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 3: Check it out, a talking donut!

Note: Oops, I made the wrong chapter title for Chapter 2! Chapter 2 was (In One End and Out The Other). You'll understand later in the chapter with the donut joke. Also, I don't own the DC characters but I did come up with The Brood, and their evil demon lord... tee-hee. May not be end of the world but if I can I'll put my evil demon in all my stories. Wha-ha-ha-ha!

The morning was one of several surprises. Robin was not a surprise as he reads his morning paper and Cyborg dares B.B. to play him in a game. Starfire is floating around making a meal that smells really freaking good. Robin finally pulls away from the paper noticing the great smell, "Gee Star! That smells…" he blinks, "Wait, Raven?"

Raven turns around… and is smiling, "Hey! So what would you like first?"

Beast Boy and Cyborg are looking with their paddles in their laps, the screen blinks Game Over but they ignore it. Robin raises a brow to the skillets and pans with bacon, eggs, some toast, cooked greens, "Wow… this is… good?"

Raven just shrugs with the smile still, "Gee, thanks. So which would you prefer?" Robin shrugs and she just drops stuff on a plate. Robin pokes his pancakes, "Uh… Raven, these pancakes look like their… smiling."

Cyborg sits with his plate, "The omelets look like their smiling…"

Beast Boy is pale, "The plate… looks like it's…"

"Oh come on, I was just in a good mood and…" She floats past them with a final plate besides hers, "I guess it shows through the food."

Beast Boy glares to his meal, "Oh that guy from last night is on your mind?"

The other two boys ooh; she rolls her eyes saying, "Come on lay off."

Robin nudges Cyborg, "Wow, I wonder what this guy is like."

"Yeah, I mean Rae actually seems normal." Cyborg ducks from a spoonful of omelet that nearly hit him, "I'm just saying," he raises up slowly and sweating, "You don't show this kind of happy attitude usually."

Raven sort of seems to drop her happy expression and nudges her food, "Maybe… but I was just figuring…"

Robin looks at his paper again, his mouth was being inched with a forkful when his eyes widen he drops the fork and stands up tall, "No…" he drops the paper and runs to the garage, the titans raise equally worried brows. Cyborg grabs the paper as Beast Boy asks, "What the hell is his problem?"

Cyborg looks up sadly, Beast Boy asks, "What is it, you too?"

"Shut it B." Beast Boy goes to remark but Cyborg yells, "SHUT IT!"

Cyborg walks with the paper and sees Robin is already trying to get the cycle ready, "Robin you know it can't be true."

"Then why hasn't he called?" Robin looks angrily, "Weekly Cyborg, there is a weekly communication between us. If he needs me he says, or I need his council he gives it! This week… I didn't…" Robin falls on the cycle sobbing, Cyborg walks over and grabs his shoulder, "Robin, man, you have to chill! If it is true…" Robin looks up worried, "Well, would he want you to be crying like this?"

Robin shakes his head no, "I know Cyborg but… I just wanted to know…"

Cyborg lays the paper down on the worktable, "Hey, I'll send a message to the commissioner he'll say what's up. You just get back here and eat some of that food. When will we ever get a chance to have Raven _cook_ something _good_."

Robin sighs, "I guess… I need to fill the team in anyway, after you make the calls."

The two leave the paper shifts a little as it was leaning off the edge, it falls on the floor letting the head print read **"Batman Missing, Has the Dark Knight Been Slain?"

* * *

**

Will is lathering and rinsing his hair in the shower, a smile on his face he screams out "She had lavender hair Wintergreen! I mean, not a dye job it looked natural! Hell, is that even possible?"

Wintergreen sighs, outside the bathroom he just rolls an eye, "If it was natural than it must be sir." He chuckles a little; Will was actually acting something like a human being. "Sir, was there anything else." He mentally muses, 'That you have not told me.'

"Is there?" Will says it in a way like near euphoria, "She was a delicate looking girl, but the force in her fist." He raises his own fist and laughs a robust breath, "She could make for a perfect fighter maybe I could get her to spar with me! Then, the eyes are just as amazing as the hair, a darker shade, and yes she herself shows a darker essence than the other women I've known." Will stopped his ramblings and sighs deeply, "Raven, she was everything I ever wanted… since her."

Wintergreen hears that and his demeanor drops a little, "Sir…" Will is chuckling, "Don't worry my friend I'll be okay."

* * *

The titans are going on the normal routine. Training, that was a good one for now. Robin is pounding away at a punching bag, Cyborg has his weights, Beast Boy tries his chance with a logic test… not so good, and Starfire is challenging her aim with flying disks. Raven is in the one spot meditating and raising objects of varying size with concentration. Raven stops her meditation and stands up; sweating a little she looks around, "I'm knocking off early, okay?"

Robin shrugs, "Sure if you feel you should."

Raven nods and leaves. She makes to the main room and shiftily she looks around, she floats to the phone, and with a deep breath she picks it up. "Okay, hardest part is down… no… not even close to the hard part…" Raven shakes her head; keep calm not the time to get all upset. She dials that number on the napkin, a ring, more ringing…

Wintergreen picks up the phone, "Yes?"

Raven blinks, "Will?"

"Hm? Yes that is my…" Wintergreen blinks, "May I ask whom this is?"

"It's me, Raven."

"Oh! Madam Raven!" Wintergreen hears something around thumping sounds; he turns and grabs his eyes as the phone was dropped. A hand grabs the phone and raises it to their ear, Will smiles pleasingly, "Raven! What a pleasure to hear from you so soon!" Wintergreen scrambles with his white coat to tie it onto Will's lower body, "I was a bit busy but hearing you called ushered me straight to you."

Raven kind of giggles, not a normal one and so when Starfire floats behind her to get some mustard she raises a brow, "Gee Will that sounds like a pickup line or something." Raven starts to coil the phone cord around her finger, "So, I was calling to ask if you might want to go out tonight." Starfire is wide eyed, the signs all point to a…

"Why of course! Where and when?"

"The café and tonight around the same time as last time." Starfire blurts out, "When are we to meet this Will?"

Raven turns in a glare, Starfire backs up nervously but Raven hears Will, "Was that Skye?"

"Yes…" Raven looks nervously to the phone, "Hm, does she want to come along?"

"Um… well…" Raven looks over to Starfire, "Would you like to come with me to meet Will tonight?" she motions her mouth no but Starfire screams in joy saying yes. Will is laughing, "Good, then later tonight my dear?"

"Yes… tonight… bye." Raven hangs up the phone and hangs her head, Starfire is twirling around in joy, "Oh friend Raven! It will be so much fun to meet this mystery person whom you have such an interest in!"

Raven looks over slowly, her teeth grinding and eyes fuming, Starfire gulps before flying quickly past the training room. Inside the training room Robin is on his back panting as his punching bag had been punching him! Beast Boy had won against the logic test, before it exploded! Then Cyborg had fallen through the floor with his weights! As Raven was loosing her emotions, the boys found the bad side of the effects.

* * *

This dive is pretty busy with criminals. They gather and squander around the area like mad. Drinking and gloating about their exploits they seem really idiotic. The sound of a fist hitting a counter catches all the criminals. The counter with the food, a man in a purple outfit is enraged, screaming "How can you charge that much for a donut? Look at this thing! It barely has donut, more hole!" He squeezes the donut in and out, "Hell, it's like it's talking!"

The man at the counter shrugs, "Whatever… he, a talking donut."

The man in purple smiles a large grin, "A humorous fellow eh? Well, allow me to say that this donut not only has the mouth…" he squeezes the donut so it seems to be smiling, "Hm, look it's smiling!" then letting it bend it laughs, "Now laughing! My lord, what could be so funny Mr. Donut?" The man raises the donut to his ear, he motions it and nods, "Oh that is funny! Why, you should hear this!" The figure raises the donut to the man, "He says… I have something that will really make you laugh!" The figure grabs inside his suit and the man behind the counter cringes.

The figure holds up a fish and points it through the donut. The man blinks, "A fish?" he smirks, "Gee man I thought you were…" The fish spits a yellow mist and the man starts coughing, and like Razor his body begins to react in laughter and hideous deformity before the entire room.

The other criminals hear the laughter and become frightened; they jump up and make a run for it. The figure stops his laughing as the man dies. The figure walks into the dive looking around, "Gee, must be a slow night!" letting more of the laughing go Baby-Bop and Pitch sit with the figure. "So, let's talk about tonight… where, oh where should we go next?"

* * *

Will stands outside the café; he waited a long while actually… "Did she forget?"

He then hears the steps of two people, he turns and sees Raven, she wears some jeans and another top but this one was with sleeves which were loose at the wrist. The girl with her was odd, having a purple miniskirt, go-go boots, and the top like Raven except with a flower on the front she smiles her green eyes with a shine. Then the hair, black was not her color.

"Okay, your name is Skye that's all you need to remember… please don't embarrass me!"

"Oh friend Raven! I shall not embarrass you." Star walks right past Will, "So when do we meet this Will person."

"Skye…" Star keeps looking around, "Skye…" nothing, "Hey you!" Star turns to a confused Will and angry Raven, "This is Will."

Star looks starry eyed, "My goodness he is so… old."

Raven grabs her face, Will just smirks saying "My thank you for noticing."

"Pardon me it is only that friend Raven has not mentioned the age of her male suitor." Raven seems to shrink a little, "That, and the fact you are disabled makes for a puzzling ordeal." Raven shrinks a lot now, "However, I am sure it is the fact you are so physically formed she finds you a fitting mate for reproduction!"

"Oh just great… now I _know_ I should have brought some rope." Will is holding his chin and chuckling, "She is a free minded person isn't she Raven?"

Raven looks up, his demeanor was not affected. Raven stands tall and shrugs, "Yes she speaks her mind."

"That's a healthy thing in all honesty. It shows she's a confident woman. You know, you could learn to do that too Raven." He opens the door for them, "Shall we?"

Raven blinks but she and Starfire go ahead, "So far so good. Remember, your name is Skye."

Starfire nods, "My name is Skye; at least it is for this night."

Raven and Skye sit down at the table like before; Will pulls an extra table over, "So, what will we talk about tonight?"

Skye taps her chin, "I do not know if my subjects would be appropriate for discussion in earth mating rituals called 'Dating'."

Raven shields her eyes and shakes her head, 'This is going to be a long ass night…'

Will sighs a little, "Then let me open the discussion, Skye?" Skye is looking at the menu, "Skye?" Raven glares at Skye, "Um… Skye?" Raven kicks Skye's leg, Skye yelps and rubs the spot, "Skye?" Skye blinks and turns to Will sweating, "Oh yes!"

"You have a strange accent, where are you from?"

"Ta…" Raven kicks her again, "Er, Texas! It is a small…" she looks to Raven who shakes her head no, "Large," Raven nods, "Large territory to the… South?" Raven nods, "Yes, South of these many territories of united formations!"

Will looks a little confused, "Yeah…" he looks to Raven, "So, what have you been up to?"

Raven smiles as it was easier then getting Star on track, "Nothing too much just some little things."

This is where they began talking more like a group of friends. The conversation hits many points, Starfire tells of the many thing of her home, Will never knew Texas was so… weird. Raven tries to make the most sense of it she could… which was oh so little. Will mentions his many travels across the world, and even some stories of adventure as an explorer. They keep talking until Will asks, "So, Skye do you have any boyfriends?" Star blushes, "I mean a nice looking girl like yourself must have a certain someone."

"Well there is a boy I like… he is quite wonderful."

"Boy wonder?" Raven raises a brow, "Not him again!"

Starfire just giggles as she drinks her coffee with mustard in it that caused many a look then. Will smirks at their talk, "Gee, so this is that girl talk I hear about? Not that big a deal."

"Then perhaps the speech of feminine hygiene is in order?"

Will coughs and looking at his watch he says "Gee… look at the time?"

Raven looks at a clock and nods, "Just a little over two hours this time." She stands up and Will grabs his money, "Again?"

"Why not? I need to pay for your friend too! Otherwise I would be playing favorites."

Starfire and Raven are outside as Will pays off the tab for the night. Raven smiles to Will as he exits, "I had a great time."

"As did I my dear."

The two look at each other a moment, Raven stands a little shorter than Will so she looks up at him rubbing her arm nervously, "So… um…"

Will smirks; "Well…" he leans down a little, "Is there, something you want?"

Raven sees the eye contact, "Well... maybe…"

Starfire floats in screaming "I had a glorious time Mr. Will! I hope to meet with you again soon!"

Will pulls back; Raven seems to sag a little as he shakes Starfire's hands saying "A pleasure perhaps another time?" He then turns to Raven and grabs her hand kissing it again, "Until the next time."

Raven blushes and the sign over the coffee house flutters in and out. Will turns to the sign and then Raven, "There is something of a pattern here…" he takes a step back, "Raven, just what do you do again?"

"Me? Oh, I'm a junior journalist! Eh-he! Nothing too great, you know."

Will looks at the sign, "Perhaps…" he turns away waving goodbye, "Until the next time you call."

Raven sighs deeply as Starfire is standing playfully with her eyes teasingly looking at Raven, "You want to be a Knorfka with him!"

"What?" Raven blushes and the sign blows up, "Damn it! Stop making me do that!"

* * *

Will returns to his place and enters the main control room, he sees Wintergreen tapping on the keys. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes… you may not like this sir."

"What?" Will looked at the screen, "Credit reports? How will that help?"

"There was a recent purchase at a criminal dive this afternoon. The spender used a very special credit card."

"Special just how special?"

"One of a kind special… and only one man has it."

The screen flashes, Will looks up and his face turns cold "What the hell is that clown doing in my city?"

"That is not the worst part sir. These men he has hired… they're from The Brood."

"What!" Will turns stunned, "The Brood? You mean those sick killers that hail some demon as their master, Akaige?"

"Yes sir." Wintergreen looks over to Will, "There is…" he sees the look on Will's face, "So, how was your date."

Will smiles, "That was the only good thing today. I don't know what it is but she really makes me feel…" Will sighs a little, "You know, I think if anything happened to her." Will shakes his head free, "Never mind I have to get some training done bring me a tea with some lemon in it please?"

Will walks off, Wintergreen nods "Yes sir." He looks up at the screen as Will was gone and flips the screen, it shows a short cut purple haired girl, with a chakra on her forehead and lavender eyes. Her name was Raven; the file was from the Teen Titans files… Wintergreen looks to see Will was truly gone, and then he closes the file. "I hope I'm right about not telling him this."

* * *

The tower is dark; Raven was surprised as was Starfire. The lights turn on and both the girls see three male figures tapping their feet impatiently. Cyborg asks, "Where were you?" Robin fumes, "What were you doing?" and Beast Boy flails his arms screaming "Who were you doing it with… whoa!"

The other two boys grab Beast Boy by the mouth and stuff him under the couch. Cyborg screams "You know what we've been doing all night? After you girls disappeared to the mall we had a call."

"Silly Cyborg! We were not at the mall all day. That was only to dye my hair and to prepare us to meet with Will."

Beast Boy pops his head out from the couch, "Will?"

Raven looks over, "Yes his name is Will." Robin smirks, "Really? That's a normal kind of name."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cyborg slaps a hand over Robin's mouth, "Oh, you know just… you know."

"Oh so being a Goth I can't find a nice guy is that it?" Raven snarls at that kind of thought, she may be moody as hell and to a degree she was a demon's daughter, but Raven still was human. "Look, if you have something to say just say it."

Robin pulls from Cyborg, Cyborg lunges behind the couch, "Raven! Whenever you leave I want to be notified!" Raven is startled, "We can't take a chance your powers might act up. Especially after the whole mess with Trigon, your powers grew and so did the threat you give."

Raven looks wide eyed, "How can you say that?" She blinks, her eyes turn in hate, "Who do you think you are?" Raven floats to her room but Robin grabs her wrist, "Hold it! I'm not done here!"

"Let the hell off me!" Raven tugs at her arm but Robin has a good grip. "We're just trying to protect you Raven."

"Protect!" Raven pulls her hand free, "Protect me from what? Living? A normal life? Who the hell made you the leader of _MY_ life?" Raven slaps Robin and he looks all stunned, "I'm not some kind of brittle glass! I won't just shatter all over the place, you said I was strong and now just because I'm trying to see about making a better life you get scared? You ever think being a Teen Titan isn't all our dreams and fantasies?" Raven turns around with her fists shaking, "Just… leave me alone."

She floats down the hall fast into her room. Robin blinks and then with a frustrated face he screams, "Raven!"

An orange girl floats down sticking her nose up, flames in her eyes, and hands on her hips she asks "Have you anything else you wish to pronounce? If so, direct them to me instead!"

Robin shifts a little uneasy, "Look Starfire this is…" Starfire glares her fiery eyes with more heat, "… Another time maybe…" Robin backs down as there was something in Star's eyes that really scared him. Beast Boy and Cyborg watch Robin make his way outside. Cyborg follows Robin, "What was that back there?"

"… I was upset. About… Batman."

"Oh. You took it out on Raven?"

"I didn't mean to it was just." Robin slumps on the wall, "I can't explain it Cyborg, something just snapped in me."

Cyborg shrugs, "This happens to the best of us. Just make sure you apologize there's nothing worse than a pissed Raven remember."

Robin smiles over shamefully, "Yeah… I will."

Starfire knocks on Raven's door, "Friend Raven? May I speak with you?"

"What?" Raven's voice is mixed with her monotone version, something of regret. Ever since Trigon Raven has a greater amount of trouble with emotions she feels on a larger scale than what she is used to doing. Things may still explode, but she is still able to feel with less worry over the fact her father was pretty much gone. Raven opens her door and looks with her eyes in a blank fashion, "I'm not apologizing, not this time."

"I do not believe you should. It is Robin who must apologize." Star holds her one arm at the elbow letting the other hang, "Friend Raven what he said may have been at anger or concern, yet his words were still of a friend. He is concerned for you, as I too am."

"Really? You seemed to like him."

"He was a great person!" Star smiles, "In truth I found him very handsome and alluring, yet it is still very difficult to know what a person truly wants. If it is possible this Will is not looking for you as a mate." Raven blanches her face; mate was different for Star, "He may have ulterior motives I feel you must consider. Do be careful that is all that I request of you."

Raven smiles, "Sure thing Star." Raven turns to her side, "Uh… thanks for coming along it made me feel easier with you around." Raven chuckles, "Oh, and Texas never had a Mythril Mine before…"

"I see! Well pardon me if my knowledge of Tameran was not so in accordance to Texas history." The two girls giggle together before parting ways. Robin walks up to the door, "Raven…" she opens the door and gives a blank stare, "Um… I'm sorry about…"

"It's okay I forgive you."

Robin smiles, "Really? Thanks!" an egg breaks over his head, Raven smirks, "Like I forgave Beast Boy." And she closes the door. Robin wipes the egg off murmuring "What a day… could it get any worse?"

* * *

The figure smiles widely as was his fashion, taking off his hat he tosses it onto a chair inside the poorly lit hideout. "What an afternoon, I should have left enough trails to get those brats to notice me." He sits in a chair, and leans back into it. "My, what time is it?" he looks to a clock and sees the time, late night, "Hm… I think I need a little music!" he turns to a record and plays it off the spindle it was an opera song, the tragic clown.

The figure drums his fingers along his chest, a smile gleams in the light as his face shows in the pale form. "Mr. J!" Baby-Bop runs in and falls to his knees heaving and wheezing, "Mr. J! They found the body of Razor!"

"… What time is it?" Baby-Bop blinks under his shades, "You know I love to listen to this song every night at around this time…" he swings his fists onto the chair's armrests, "I like to listen in peace too! Is that too much to have freaking asked?" Mr. J grabs for his side, Baby-Bop jumps up and is shaking as Mr. J takes… a thing of breath mints and pops one in his mouth, "Mmm!" he slaps his cheek, "Oh dear my boy look at you!" Baby-Bop looks down at the puddle at his feet, "You best get a new diaper that one has a leak!" as Baby-Bop readies to leave the figure, Mr. J raises his hand, "Oh, and my good boy! Would you be so kind as to call me," He leers the green eyes and face of criminal brutality to the frightened man, "Joker, just Joker would suffice… after all, we are associates in crime."

Baby-bop nods, "Yes Joker." He leaves and The Joker sighs deeply, and rests himself into the chair, "Now that Bird Boy is going to see my nice little gift I wonder what this causes in the kiddies corner?" The Joker chuckles lowly to himself, and it grows into the sadistic laughter that was key to his name, The Joker, the only man ever to find in death… the greatest comedy of all.

Note: Don-don-DON! Yes, it was he, the malicious madman of mirth and my favorite villain of all time, The Joker! Yeah I think you all saw it coming. Thanks for the reviews, I hope you all like the story so far. Inspired, this story is by Banished Knight and her idea of Slade and Raven meeting in a Café. I try not to use most her ideas, I feel I have most my original ones. Still, how can you really explain the two meeting if not a chance meeting, or he kidnaps her ass?


	4. Chapter 4

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 4: A Cold Shower Does Miracles

Note: Disclaimer stuff you know, and yeah I have my OCs in the place too. Most important, you people know he has a clue whom it is… but sometimes we just can't believe these kinds of things…

Will was now his alter ego, Slade. Running on top of a stone plateau with a black sky, gray clouds, and whirling winds all around he fights his enemies the titans. Cyborg tries a punch but he dodges and kicks that giant off. Beast Boy wants to ram him as a bull but he leaps over the bull letting it dangle its legs in the air before plummeting the plateau edge. Starfire, a simple chop to the neck and kick off the edge ends her. Then Robin, it took a little more but Slade simply out dodges the titan he finds his adversary and finally with a strong punch to the face Robin totters on the edge, and with a self implored superiority Slade leans in on his stomach, arms on his tailbone and eye leering, blows the titan off the edge. The last was the hooded sorceress… wait… her name… her… Slade looks wide-eyed, and steps forward as she stood there.

Slade pulls down the hood. He gasps as he sees the hair, lavender hair. He drops his opponent, and steps back startled, the shadow turns up and has the eyes, pale face, and soon it is his Raven. She looks on him with a blank expression, she seems… different… and her hood that once was black is purple and blue, the form is in a black leotard. That uniform, Slade looks even wider, "No… it can't…" he steps on the edge of the plateau and stones seem to crackle falling off the side. He turns on his heels and sees the dark void below his heel, then turning he sees her hooded, the hooded form he remembers as Raven, but not his Raven, the Raven of… them. "No! No, this… this is… is…"

"Azarath, Metrion," The Raven, Titan screams in her last words, "Zinthos!" and a black orb rises to reveal a gun, Slade is startled as Raven grabs the gun and pulls the trigger, it inches the bullet at his one, last good eye and Slade screams as he falls off the edge of the plateau. Falling he hears laughter, it was not Raven, it was so much more wicked, cruel, and uncontrollably mad…

Awaking to the world with a scream, Slade stammers up in his bed with darkness all around him. The lightning strikes, his room is irradiated for a moment letting his face show two forms of fear, for two reasons to fear. He raises his hand and cups his forehead rustling his hairs. "I…" Slade looks to the walls with more lightning; his face is of shame and sadness "I really need a cold shower." Slade was in his shower with a very… very cold shower. 'Raven…' he plays the name in his head again and again. Raven, that was both their names… but really is it that irregular? Sure, both are strong, pale skinned, and… hell… no… could he be… for…

A punch to the side wall of the shower and Slade opens his eye on the floor of the shower. He lets the water trickle down his face and form with his head under the water. What were the chances she and her were… both… Slade pulls up his head and lets his chest be covered in the cooling liquid; the breaths he takes make a firm tightening of his chest with the cold waters. What the hell is with this? He was falling for a girl that could… could be…

Slade ends the water and steps into the main part of his bathroom. Making to the mirror he sees himself in the mirror, the mirror is somewhat foggy on the one side and so it seems that side is covered in darkness. "It can't be true." Will says to himself.

"Why not?" Will looks at the mirror, it mimics him but since it is in fog he swears it is… his outfitted self… "The fates have always conspired against us. This is merely another chance to screw us on over again."

Will glares at this other self, "Where do you get off? It could be a coincidence."

"Ah yes!" The shadow rolls his eye, "The chances of you meeting a girl with the same name, look, hell even attitude in the same city you beat the shit out of each other are a million too… a million?"

"I believe the odds are better for me than that!"

"Even so, what about the fact Joker wants her? Is that in itself not something?"

"She said she is a junior reporter. Maybe she found a story on him."

"Whatever to delude yourself!"

Will slams a fist into the mirror, "Shut it!"

"Gee, are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" Will snaps, "But you are me!"

"That exactly is my point… exactly my point."

Will looks at his hand in the mirror, a blood trail trickles and he opens the cupboard to wrap his hand in gauze. Making out of the bathroom he goes to his control room and sees his screens. His eye slinks, 'The files!'

Wintergreen sleeps with mask over his eyes, soundly, contently, "WINTERGREEN!" sprawling up Wintergreen scrambles off the bed and into the door, "Ow, Bloody hell!"

Wintergreen removes his mask and walks into the control room with a bloody nose stuffed with tissue. Seeing Slade sitting at the main chair he figures something must have caught his attention, "Sir?"

"I wanted to see Raven's file… from the Teen Titans…"

Wintergreen lowers his head, "Sir… I am…"

_"Ah, ah, ah! Now that's not very nice!" _Wintergreen raises his head to the screen having a twirling card on it, the voice repeats that phrase several times, "The Joker?"

"It would seem his accounts were shrouded in viruses. Tracking them got us infected. How do we reboot the system and upload the backup files?"

Wintergreen looks over, "I can do that but it will take a couple of hours or so. What was it that bothered you?"

Slade looks over, his eye something of worry, and fear, "It was… nothing." He stands up and walks past Wintergreen, "Report to me when you finish with the system."

Wintergreen nods, "Yes sir." He watches his master, and friend leave knowing he had the information he wants. However, he also knew in those eyes Slade does not really want that information… a terrible situation they were in.

* * *

The morning and the titans are all awake for the new day. Raven exits and sits herself on the side of the table with Starfire. The two look at each other and giggle. Raven looks around and sees the boys are busy over the breakfast. Beast Boy did the meal, and Cyborg hates the vegetarian's meals. Robin is also busy trying to make his own peace between them. Raven goes to Starfire, "What are you so happy about?"

"I was considering your date of tonight." She has the newspaper, "A movie is a perfect place of the 3rd date, and has the best applications of the… mood." She furls her brows and Raven just raises hers, "Star, you really do seem to know more on this stuff than you should. Especially for the innocent Tameranian you are."

"Perhaps. Then again it is my…" she looks over to Robin sighing, "Hopes of one day being courted by my own dream mate."

Raven looks over and rolls her eyes. Robin is a great guy, nice looking and he knows what he wants most of the time… but so business oriented he never notices Starfire is her waiting every day to be swooped in his arms and carried away. By all means any man in his position would leap at the chance, but Robin is so damn… no reasons to worry, he will, hopefully one day realize what is there.

Starfire hugs Raven causing her to gasp for air, "It is still so very exciting that you are in the position to be dating! I feel if I may not be able to do so, it is a pleasure my best friend may!"

Raven with her eyes dilating, "Star… air… people… need…"

"Oops!" Star drops the heaving Raven, "It was a miscalculation upon myself friend."

Robin is trying to bring control as Cyborg hears the phone. He strolls over leaving Robin explaining the reason vegetables and tofu are nice… but the others need more. Cyborg listens to the phone and nods, "I see… thank you commissioner." Robin looks back, "Hey Robin, we need to talk alone."

Robin's face sinks, "Okay." He follows to the hangar. There Cyborg motions him to sit down. "What is it Cyborg?"

"They don't know really. The story goes…"

* * *

A petty criminal leaps behind a corner; he turns back and fires in the halls of this water purification plant. The steam from pipes cover his view as his bullets went too far. Then the shadow looming behind the steam "No… NO!" the criminal runs, turning he takes random shots and misses again. The next thing he knows he's tripped and falling over some railing. The criminal reaches up and pulls on a railing to have a hand in black gloves grab his. The dark knight, Batman, holds onto the man with all his might, "Hold on!" Batman pulls the man up, and tosses him to the side. Batman leaves a deep breath but one of the pipes that had been barely damaged explodes, Batman is flung off the railing and into the water below where turbines are tearing the water into reservoirs elsewhere. The criminal looks over seeing Batman shoots a cable to the railing, the railing is loose. The criminal, a petty criminal at that sees opportunity. He kicks the railing and it breaks Batman is falling into the water screaming and the turbines suck in the water fast. A strange sound of explosions, red seems to fill the water and the criminal smiles as the turbines begin to jam up and a cloak, a black cloak with a pointed eared mask floats to the surface. The criminal looks around and sees a skimmer, he grins using it to hook the mask and raise it to himself.

* * *

Robin shakes his head, "Just a normal, peon? Not someone like, Two-Face, or Riddler? I can't believe it."

"Neither did the police. They checked around but the water is seeping from the reservoirs they can't find the blood now. Then the body if anything is missing."

Robin grabs his forehead, "Anything else? What about the criminal?"

"Laurence Metran. A pick pocket and such. Truth is he had some dealings with Rupert Thorne during that night but I hear he's not in jail."

"What? Why not?" Cyborg raises his hands, "Easy Robin, easy." Cyborg watches Robin calm down, "He's not in jail because… he's in the morgue."

* * *

"And so," Laurence regales the onlookers of awe and mystery, "The Batman, oh so I call him "Fatman!"" the people laugh at the overused joke, "Thought he could weasel out from death one too many times! I saw his grappling hook and kicked it in with his butt to the turbines, he got torn limb from limb!" he reaches into his jacket and tosses the ragged cloak on the table, "Then, I took this as a souvenir. The last piece, of the pieces of the Fatman!"

The people are oohing and ahhing the cloak, touching it and slapping Laurence on the back. Laurence sees a nice looking blonde stroll up to his side; she speaks with a loving tone "The man over there wanted you to have a drink for a job well done."

Laurence looks to the man in the corner raising a white gloved hand and his own glass. Laurence does the same and sips his drink; the man sips his drink then spits it out. "I'm sorry," the man's fanciful voice speaks from the shadows with a large smile, "But drinking with you leaves a taste I just can't quite… enjoy." The man stands and shows to the entire room his purple outfit. The Joker removes his hat and places it on his heart, his eyes go playful sad and smile a little tragic, "To think the Batman, my greatest of goals and aspirations. The one, true hero deserving of my esteem…" he turns cruel and slams his fists on the table, "Was killed by a run of the mill shit like you!"

Laurence coughs, his mouth starts to twist, "My… face… eh-he… eh-he-he-he-h-eh-e!"

Laurence's face is becoming horribly disfigured, unlike the Joker's tamer versions this muscle spasm poison causing the mouth to rip and tear at the creases as the smile grew too wide. "Oh sure, laugh it up!" Joker is fuming, his rage the only state his mad humor is gone. "Laugh it up all of you! Laugh at the failure, the has-been! The man, who never could kill the Batman!" he points to his chest, "Oh I tried, rest assured, I used schemes and ploys all deserving of the dark knight and his magnificent, wondrous career!"

Laurence is laughing in his gurgling drool and blood, the pain is worse than anything imaginable as his mouth has torn all the way back to his ears, his eyes water and soon he is hideous to the onlookers who run from the scene. The Joker pushes Laurence into a chair; Laurence looks at Joker, his eyes pleading to make it stop. The Joker is not in that moment, or pity, he instead is playing on something else, "You see Batman was something special! I knew it the day I was left like this! We were special, intertwined destinies! Kindred souls of death! However, even if I dreamt of killing him, of ending his life! I also respected his being, the man of the dark! I never knew one could respect a man, and loathe him as much as I for the Batman!"

The Joker glares his cruel eyes on Laurence who is sprawled in his seat crying and laughing all at once, "Then there were you… I never knew I could respect a man for the pride in a kill, and loathe him in the unoriginal way he did it!" The Joker pulls out a gun and fires the entire clip into Laurence, he keeps pulling the trigger even after the clip was dead and he is shedding tears with his fierce smile. "You took him from me… and you didn't even do it right!" The Joker grabs the cloak and blows his nose and wipes his eyes, stuffing it in his coat he sighs, "Oh well, one must not dwell on such ordeals! I mean, after all if you can't win the big gold… runner up is just as good!" he cackles his laugh to the room of people hiding.

* * *

Robin shakes his head, "Joker, he had a sick sense of respect for the Batman. An adversary he never could topple even with his cunning mind and tricks. If he wasn't so twisted I'd call him a genius."

"Yeah." Cyborg rubs his head, "So what should we do?"

Robin looks over to Cyborg, "I'm going to tell the team. Do me a favor if there is any calls in the city keep me posted…" Robin rubs his chin, "The runner up remark he made seems… unsettling."

Cyborg is confused, but he'd listen. Robin had enough to deal with as it is no need to worry him over anything else. Robin tells the team. During this Raven is remembering the incident in the alley, "Robin! I need to tell you something."

Robin blinks, "What?"

"The other day, behind the Café I was attacked by these guys they said they wanted you."

Robin looks at her in rage, "Why didn't you say something?"

Raven grabs her arms across her chest, "I forgot I'm sorry."

"Probably because of your boyfriend!" Robin snaps and runs out of the room. Raven stood there, "He's not my boyfriend… technically…" she lowers her head as yes she was wrong for not saying something sooner. Raven looks at the phone and she sees no one is there. She floats over and dials the number.

* * *

Slade is sitting in his chair, no change. "How much longer?"

Wintergreen shrugs, "Long, if not longer?" he smiles and Slade just glares, "Do not worry when the system is up I will inform you."

The phone rings, Slade looks at the phone. He was wearing his mask, but he takes it off and lays it at his armrest. Grabbing the phone he pauses it at his ear, waiting he sees Wintergreen looking at him and giving to 'Go on' look. "Hello?"

"Will?"

Will is silent… then he speaks with his semi-usual pleasure, "It is good to hear from you again my dear. Do you wish to meet again tonight?"

Raven smiles, her cheeks become a little red, "Um, would it be okay if we went to a movie instead?"

Will nods, "A movie? Which one?"

"Sin City?" Will nods and looks to his mask the facts… of her… "I would be honored there are several things I would like to see about anyhow. Perhaps after tonight  
I can clear them up."

"Great I can't wait!" she hears some screaming, "I have to go!" Will heard the scream too, it sounded like… "That was Robert, wasn't it?"

"Yes…" she blinks, "How did you know?"

"He sounds like someone I know…" Will's eye is cold; he lets his voice linger with, "Tonight, we will see each other tonight at the movies."

* * *

The Joker is sitting with a happy little mood. He holds his new favorite toy, the mask of Batman. He has had it washed, and puts it on his head. He sees through the eyes, the man he once remembered hunting and striking him. A fanciful shadow boxing match in his mind plays out the fights of yester-year, "Ah… memories." The Joker sighs, "Oh well we all must die someday. Still, I always wished it was me Batsy that took your life. I would have given you a demise oh so more deserving of your lineage." The Joker takes off the mask and hears a knock, "What now?"

The Joker stuffs the cloak in his coat, over his heart he flattens it up and smiles "Come in!"

The door opens, three men enter. The first one is average build and height. He wears the outfit those others wore and a hat strangely like a pastors hat. He even has a black sash over his shoulders and down his collar like a sermon was being done. His wire frame shades look over to Joker, and he bows. His voice is rasping and revering like any southern preacher his words trail with the accent of the strong voice. "They call me, the Preacher. I am a senior officer of the Brood."

The Joker shrugs, "So? Am I supposed to be impressed?"

"You have two junior officers under your accord at the moment. I am here to act as senior officer with two of my fellow officers to assist in your plans as of recent." He raises his head, "I am honored to be in your presence Mr. Joker. Our lord, he wishes to speak with you personally."

"Oh? So bring him in!" The Joker tugs at his collar, "I'm always willing to speak with royalty."

"I'm sorry…" The Preacher curves his grim face with a side smirk, "He is unable to reach this plane. You must go to him." The Preacher grabs a book from his side, its dark bindings of black snake's skin he opens it and reads words of an unentangible nature. Then the shadows cover the room, some constrict the lights and break them. The Joker is looking uneasily at this ordeal until he is consumed in these same shadows and the room returns normal. The Preacher closes his book and looks to the other members with him. "Go unto the city my brotherin, and see what it offers to the Brood."

* * *

The Joker has a gun drawn, looking all around he is in a blue and purple world, actually, he likes those colors, "Hm, not a bad color scheme! Morbid, yet affectionately quaint!" The Joker laughs until he feels something moving behind him. The Joker turns his gun in instinct but black fabric wraps his hand in a ball. The Joker feels pressure constricting his hand, and falls on his knee. The Joker looks up holding his hand to the many ripped and torn black fabrics swishing all around this room from one central ball sitting in a throne of a giant skull. The Joker is wide eyed from the scene of the ball untwining and soon showing a fully covered form of a man, or man like thing, in the same fabrics. They are wrapped like a mummy on a form whose eyes are the only part bare, and the three large claws of the right arm. The eyes glow a faint purple and seem like mist. The Joker asks, though shaky he gives his normal playful tone, "Let me guess… you're the secretary of this lord guy, right?"

A chuckle comes from the form, _"Playful, I have that same quality Joker."_ The form sits up and The Joker notices the legs, large and there are two large nails protruding like Raptor nails from the bandages. "You need a pedicure bad."

_"A small metamorphosis is occurring in part to my recent endeavors with a being called… well, that is not important."_ The form seems upset, not as much angry and disappointed, _"What is important is you are going to help me get back to my good old self again."_

"Oh really? Why would I do something like that?"

The form lifts his claw, and waves it in front of himself and towards Joker. The Joker is confused until his pale skin begins to bubble, his eyes are shaking and he falls on his side screaming. _"To have fallen in acid and live a horrible thing in the mortal world. However in my world that is a child torture method. Then again, sending you back to the mortal world with that pain a constant? Now, would that seem fitting? Especially with a record like yours you know hell will only be waiting to do it again when you die."_ The Joker screams his laughter, the form glares his eyes.

"Oh come on this was once already!" The Joker stands up his eyes shaking violently "Come on! That all you have?"

_"Do you really want to know?"_ the form chuckles a little, _"You certainly will be useful. Then how about a reward system? You do for me what I ask and I give you the one thing you want most of all!"_

"What's that?" the burning has ceased since it was ineffective. _"The Batman."_

"Um, hello! He's dead!"

_"Really, but the Batman excited you for he was a challenger! A man who was as well minded as you! I can offer you a new batman, a man who is just as cunning and devious. Even better, he will be much more vicious and willing to kill. A Batman who has something you yourself have the will to kill."_ The Joker gleams his eyes pleasingly, "Okay, if you can do that than I'll give you what you want. How do I find him?"

The form clicks his claw on his chin, _"First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Akaige."_ The Joker does a little curtsy, "They call me Joker, Amommy."

Akaige glares his eyes and then a flick of his wrist Joker is flung onto a wall. The Joker stands up rubbing his head, "Okay, sorry! Get a sense of humor already!"

_"I have a sense of humor. I'm just tired…"_ Akaige looks at his body, _"As I said you will help with that."_ Then Akaige looks back at Joker with a little more joy, _"Oh! I almost forgot… do you like the movies?"_

Note: Yes, there is Akaige. He won't play the usual role of super-evil-butt-whoop-guy... sadly. From what I gathered, and where I lay this story in a reference with "Hunter: The Beginning", Akaige is in the process of doing something after the mess in that story… but what? Then, Slade knows but does he wish to know? Will Raven even know? Will, Will know… oh, Will is Slade! Duh! So better question how will this deal of Joker and Akaige work out? Find out the next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 5: Wintergreen's Stash… Mustache that is!

Note: I don't own Teen Titans, or DC stuff. I take credit for the Kagejin, the Brood, and the guy from the bathroom… like in my fic Too Much Red there is a scene where Slade sees his conscience, and so does Wintergreen, it's a skit I like to use every now and again, I don't own the characters of pop-culture who play the conscience. This chapter is fairly short but good. Hope you all like I'll try to write more next update!

Robin walks into the kitchen and sees Cyborg and Beast Boy, "Where did the girls go?"

Cyborg looks back and thinks, "Um, last I remember Raven went with Starfire to her room. I think Star's room, something about a date."

Robin looks over sighing what happened to telling him everything in Raven's life? Oh, that probably was never going to happen. Still it was something he figured might be necessary. Robin leaves the two boys who were thinking about the best games to play. Robin goes to Star's room, he holds up a fist and thinks… Star can get pretty mean… and Raven is just scary enough too… Robin scotches to the door and puts an ear to the door eavesdropping.

"So friend Raven! What do you think of this eye shadow?"

Raven looks at the cosmetics, "I guess… I really don't know about this stuff Star."

"Understood. I feel it will go well with the outfit you mentioned earlier! Then, this lipstick of the black will be very interesting in part to your own personality!"

"Black? That's a real color for lipstick?" Starfire nods pushing up the lipstick. "Alright, give it a shot."

Starfire giggles applying the lip stick and gloss, "It shines in the light and causes attraction to the sensual points of the face. Who knows, you may find yourself being kissed tonight!"

"STAR!" Raven jumps and the gloss is smudged, and the door to the room is flung open into the room… showing Robin eavesdropping. Robin is palely looking over at the two, seeing Raven's smudged lipstick he snorts a little laughter before a green light seems to cover him and the doorway, "Yuh-oh…"

Cyborg and Beast Boy now have each other in headlocks trying to push their ideas of games when they hear screaming. Robin runs by with a glowing green light following behind, the light is actually Starfire. Beast Boy grins pulling from the hold and slamming his game in the console, "Booya!"

"Dude that wasn't even fair!"

Starfire returns with a bit of a golden and black cape in her mouth. The boys look up and she glares death beams in their direction, making them shrink into their seat a little more. Starfire returns to Raven who has removed the lipstick, "You know what Star. I think I'll just go like I usually do," she removes the eye shadow next, "Thanks for trying though it was nice."

"Are you sure? I believe Robin will not be bothering us for sometime."

Raven shrugs, "I don't know… something about Will's voice sounded, odd, like he wasn't really that happy to hear from me."

"Is that so?" Starfire sits next to Raven, "I am sure it is nothing of importance. He must have only been displeased at the time of your call."

Raven looks back up, smiling she grabs the lipstick, "I think I kind of would like the lipstick. So does it matter about the eye shadow?"

Starfire squeals and redoes the make-up. Outside the tower Robin's legs dangle from the ground. "Oh-kay… I quit… for now."

* * *

Slade sat at his chair with his fingers laced. He keeps playing back that phone call, Robert. He sounds just like him. That one little prick, titan, Robin. "It has to be true… what do I do?" Slade rubs his chin, "I can stay here and just let things dissolve… then again she is very appealing it might be worth a full look."

Slade seems to just rub his forehead he was really getting unnerved. Taking a cup of coffee at his side Slade sips it and sighs, "This is just really confusing."

"Tell me about it." Slade looks around the room, grabbing at his waist he readies an energy disc when he sees something small flying over to him. With a booster pack, Slade sees a small pop-idol character from Star Wars, Boba Fett land on his left shoulder. "I mean, confusing doesn't really begin to define your situation."

Slade looks at this character on his shoulder with his eye wide. Next Boba grabs his chin saying, "It reminds me of a time I had a bounty on this sweet looking dame. Needless to say I tied her in power restraints and got the bounty, but I never forgot how nice she looked… and the big screen TV I bought with her bounty."

Slade now looks at the floor rubbing his eyes, "Okay come on! You're seeing a short version of Boba Fett!" Boba screams "Who you calling short?"

Slade shudders and looks again; Boba Fett is just tapping his foot, "Great… I really am loosing it."

Next Slade hears a strange cartoon like spring sound. He turns to see a second pop culture figure landing on his right shoulder. This figure was rolled into a gold ball, but they then morphed to a full space armored bounty hunter with a plasma cannon on their right arm. This was Samus Aran, the hunter from Metroid. "… What the hell?"

Samus salutes her cannon, "Samus Aran, reporting for my next mission!"

"Wow… you're a chick right?"

Samus glares over to Boba, "Oh great, you again! Why is it every hit man that has to see their conscience imagines you and me?"

Slade blinks, "Wait, you're my conscience?"

Samus salutes Slade again, "Yes, I am the good side of your conscience, as Boba is the evil side of your conscience."

"What about that angel and devil figure everybody has?"

Boba shoots a blaster in the air, "Hey? What's wrong with us? I mean you respect the old-time bounty hunters which we kind of are. Except I'm the better hunter here."

"What?" Samus screams full voice, "I'm Samus, the Metroid Hunter! Where do you get the gall to say you're better than me?"

"Hey I caught freaking Han Solo! I even had him put in carbonate! What did you do, blow up a bunch of brain leeches? Big, freaking whoop."

"Excuse me? Didn't he break free?" Samus chuckles adding, "That and you fell in a giant vagina with teeth."

"They call it a Sarlac pit! Not the-vagina-with-teeth pit!" Boba shakes a fist at Samus, "Still, that wasn't half as bad as adopting one of my freaking contracts like a kid!"

"Hey! You keep my daughter out of this!"

"She's a freaking floating jelly-fish! Hell, they look more like…"

Slade is watching the fight escalate saying "Um…" and "Uh…" before they start firing their cannons and fighting. As they seem to fly off fighting Slade screams, "Wintergreen!"

Wintergreen walks over asking, "Yes sir?" Slade points to the fighting icons, "Do you see Boba Fett and Samus Aran fighting?"

Wintergreen raises a brow then sees the coffee, "Oh! Sir! Did you drink my coffee?"

"What? Yes I guess I did." Slade sees Wintergreen pick it up, "Why what's the big deal?"

"Because I use the brew from my stash…" Wintergreen looks to the side, "I mean my mustache…"

"But you don't…" Slade blinks as Wintergreen has a mustache, "Where the hell did that come from?"

"I always had one. You may wish to go lay down for about…" he looks to see the cup wasn't that low, "3 or 4 hours, then I'll bring you some Cheetos."

"Snacks? Why?"

Wintergreen ushers Slade off murmuring, "After this trip is over you'll have some real munchies."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing sir!" Slade leaves the room confused but he figured a little sleep might be good. Wintergreen sighs drinking his coffee. Then after he was done he looks to his side, "It's a good thing he didn't catch on."

Two strange 2-D aliens nod on Wintergreen's shoulders, "That is because it was not the will of the moon for him to know."

"That's right, now let's get plastered! Woo-hoo!"

(Oh man… that was so close to being wrong. So very wrong, yet funny. Some how I don't really see Wintergreen doing stuff like that but it is funny to think about.)

* * *

The Joker sits legs crossed blinking to the strange monster that called him, "Okay… so… how the hell does?"

_"Just do it Joker."_ Akaige's voice shows some aggression, this was the fifth time Joker did not understand his plan. _"You don't have to understand this plan you merely just have to do what I ordered. After that I promise you will know where to find your next challenging crime fighter. Well Joker?"_

The Joker stands up and brushes off his jacket "Good grief, either way if you are going to keep your word for a new, better Batman then I'll play along." The Joker does a bow and stands up just sort of looking around, "So… how the hell do I get out of here?"

_"Oh! That's easy!"_ Akaige swipes his claw across the Joker's direction and a small hole opens in the air. The Joker looks up and screams as he's sucked up and disappears. Akaige lays back into his throne sighing deeply, _"He's such an idiot but my options are limited. Until this plan is finished I have no real choice in the matter."_

The Joker plops hard in his chair from earlier, his eyes rolling into the back of his head he moans a little, "Okay… now that was weird." Joker pushes up off his chair and looks to see Preacher was standing there, "Well? What do you want?"

"The lord must have wanted something, may I ask what?"

"Actually yes… do you like the movies?"

* * *

Slade woke up a little but with a headache. The last he remembers was Wintergreen and his mustache… though last he remembers he shaved that. Slade sits up and rubs his forehead to remove some of the pain. "Wintergreen?" Slade looks to the alarm clock and his eye pops, "Shit! I'm going to be late!"

Slade jumps up and puts on a black shirt and jeans over his costume, then his coat over that he wraps loosely around his form. Slade looks at the man sized mirror on his wall and smirks, this would do fine. Will, grabbing the mask thinks about the possibility if things go sour he would have to use the mask. Hell, he'd worse off have to fight the girl.

Will decided to take it with him just in case. When at the door to the movies Will thinks about some more crap, like chancing the fact she could… hell must be his number two nemesis in the Teen Titans, number one reserved for that little snot Robin. Will opens the doors and looks around, some people rushing to the feature of their choice, others flopping about in the main area to get food, drinks, or just chilling before a feature. Will then sees at the center of the room a lavender haired lady he knew was his rendezvous. She had a sleeveless top on with a Raven on the top, any other time that would seem pretty nice but now…

Will also noticed her bell bottom jeans, and the black lip gloss with some eye shadow on her upper eyelids. She looked perfect, I mean that damn good looking perfect, but Will feeling more distraught runs into the bathroom and sighs deeply at the sink. He gets up and looks out the door, Raven is looking around nervously worrying with two tickets in her hand. She has her arms crossed; her face seems very frightened maybe she didn't give him enough info, the time of the show and all.

Will hears a flush and sees a man about 20 or so, walking out of the stall with a black trench and black shirt with jeans. He has short cut hair, and from his collar he has a pair of shades hanging. The man looks with his brown eyes a little perplexed by Will's actions but soon he smirks and walks over to wash his hands, "Guy or gal?"

"What?"

"You hiding from a guy, or a gal? Financial problems or maybe relationship problems."

Will steps into the bathroom and shrugs, "A girl and relationship issues actually."

"Hm…" The guy smirks, "So what's the deal? You hiding because she's not as good looking as your friends said, like a blind date?"

"No I met her several times before but…" Slade looks back out, "I found out recently she's someone else that I can't really be with."

The guy seems to glare his eyes, "That sounds like a shitty excuse." The guy stands up and dries his hands, "We can't pick who we love. I knew a guy who fell for a suicidal, anorexic, and downright crazy girl once. He loved her so much, he chose to just sort of stick by her as a friend over actually making a relationship. He even helped her out, got her to stop cutting herself and ate right. It wasn't until he tried being her boyfriend things went sour."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Well," the man tosses the towels into a trash can, "What I'm trying to get at is we do strange things for love. That guy chose to actually ignore her problems all for the sake of love. He made the choice to help her and eventually he did, even when they had rocky roads he tried to help her with her problems… but time pulled them apart and she got herself pregnant last year of school, and married to the stupidest shit he ever knew. What I want to pass on is a man can't just ignore what he cares about. If you really care about your girl, maybe it doesn't matter who she is or what problem she has." The guy walks past a confused Slade. "Think about it, love doesn't happen very often but when it does…"

"That man." Will looks back around, "Did he have a name?"

"Not really." The man opens the door and walks off.

* * *

Raven stood waiting for Will. She had the tickets, now crumpled a little Raven just sort of looks worried, what if he doesn't come? What if she did something wrong? Then feeling someone behind her she looks, Will stands there and smiles down at the relieved Raven. "Will, where were… I mean, are you ready?" she gives a smile and Will chuckles.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Will looks at her face, closer up she looks much more delicate and alluring than before, "Raven, can I call you Rae?" Raven blinks, "Because, to me you're like a ray of hope that finally struck the darkness in my life. The single good thing in a long road of black that seems to fit in my life."

Raven is blushing and the pop-corn machine explodes, "Wow… that was…"

Will raises up his hand and cups her cheek, "That was the truth, so can I call you Rae?"

"Um… sure." She feels his arm wrap around her shoulders taking her towards the movie, "You want some pop…" she sees the machine, "Oh…"

"Don't worry." He smiles a little bit more internally, "I'm kind of getting used to that."

The man sits at the doors smirking, "Smart decision."

"Yo!" a guy runs over with jeans with tares, a flaming Buddha on its right knee, and a dragon covered hoody, "Dude! This totally hot chick is over at the food court! You have to check her out!"

The man looks up and shrugs, "Yeah why not. Not like I'm not in the market right now anyway."

Note: So, yeah that stuff earlier… More important, the movies are playing! What happens next? Keep reading as things get really hectic next chapter. As it is called "Nightmare At The Movies!"


	6. Chapter 6

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 6: Nightmare at the Movies

Note: Wow what a while since the latest chapter. Many a fic I'm working on, so hope you all can forgive. I do not own Teen Titans, Slade, DC, or anything else of a copyrighted affliction. I do take my credit to Kagejin and The Brood. Now, the latest chapter! The Preacher character has a very disturbing history to him if you are a religious person, though let us remember this is a story and one must hold a mind to that all is fiction… there go, this is fan fiction.

Will and Rae sat somewhere in the lower area. The theatre has one higher area balcony, while the lower seats lay half under these. Will sits thinking, 'Well, I guess it is not important her being one of those titans. Hm… maybe I can convince her to join my side instead… might want to look into that.'

Raven was sitting with her hands fidgeting, looking at the screen, then Will, she thinks, 'Okay, action movie, some romance is kind of mixed. I think… possibly… I could maybe get a…'

The commercials stop and soon that final advertisements play. The two look and watch the video until some people in one of the aisles back starts talking loudly. Will glares to two guys laughing and then talking about their day. "They are pretty loud."

"I noticed Rae." Will turns back around and then he's hit by a piece of popcorn, to that he glares and the guys are tossing popcorn at random victims. "I'll be back in a minute… maybe two."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm…" he glares his eye at the two guys, "Getting some popcorn."

* * *

Beast Boy and Cyborg are playing a game before Cyborg mentions Raven. To that Beast Boy looses interest and sort of turns off the game, "Dude! What was that for?"

"I just don't feel too playful."

"Man, all I did was mention how nice Raven looked…" Cyborg's eye slinks, "Hold it…"

Beast Boy glares up to his big friend, "What is that look for?"

"You have a thing for Rae!"

"Ew! Nasty!" Beast Boy shakes his head like that was the nastiest thing ever, "No I don't! I never liked her like that! Not even a little bit!"

"Ah… then why so defensive?"

Cyborg smirks as Beast Boy blushes, "Er… because you can take things too far sometimes."

Cyborg slaps Beast Boy on the back smiling, "Aw chill I'm just messing with you. Still, if you do you should tell her."

Beast Boy looks back and forth, "You think… I have a chance?"

"Sure," Cyborg turns to play his game single player, "Weirder things have happened."

"Gee… thanks." Beast Boy snorts through his nose and turns to see Robin now walking over to the phone, it was ringing and they never noticed. Robin picks it up, "Teen Titans, who is this?" The voice on the other side answers, "Oh, commissioner it is good to…" he glares his eyes, "You what, where, when?" He listens, the two others look worried as Robin's other hand is rolling into a fist, "Okay we'll be there as soon as possible." Robin hangs up the phone "Cyborg get the car, Starfire get in here!"

Starfire enters as Cyborg leaves, "Yes friend Robin?"

"Where's Raven?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Did she leave?" he has his communicator but sees it was in her room the tracer, "Why didn't she take her communicator?"

"She had important plans and so I believe she wished to not be distracted."

Robin glares but turns to the halls, "Cyborg, we need to get a move on!"

"Where are we going?" He pops his head from he driver seat as the others enter the garage and get into the car. "We're going to the morgue and than the movies." He glares through the mirror at Starfire who has her arms crossed unhappily, "I remember someone mentioning it earlier."

* * *

Will comes back with a nice big smile, and two buckets of popcorn, "Here Rae."

Raven raises a brow, "There's only half a bucket here. It's almost like someone was eating this before us."

Will is shifty eyed "Will, you mind answering why there is a tooth in my bucket?"

"Ah… about that…"

The movie starts up now. Will grins as he's being saved, "Well look at that the main attraction!" he pulls out a scoop of his pop corn and eats it. "This is going to be good!"

"Will… the teeth? That and those two guys are gone, not to mention the fact during the advertisements I thought I heard two people being dragged off…"

"Hey, check it out!" he feels a little nervous, "Black and white… cool… no?"

Raven looks at Will and soon sighs, "I don't know about you."

"I don't know about me either so don't feel bad." His cocky smile now smoothes out the pondering questions and Raven just smiles and sits back to enjoy the movie as well.

* * *

"Oh…" the black glove rises to the man's head, "My head…" he looks to his chest with the yellow circle with a black bat, "Wh… Where am I?"

"Here Bruce." His mind catches the name of his holder, "Selina?"

Selina, or in other circles Catwoman sits at the other side of the room smiling on her captive, "Hm, so what to do with the big…" she moves seductively, "Bad…" then pins him under her legs with a seductive glare, "Bat."

Bruce Wayne, or in his circles Batman looks to see his hood gone, his one leg in a cast and other arm much the same he views the blonde haired, blue eyed woman with her cat outfit on but without the hooded top, "So you saved me? For money or what?"

"I have my reasons Bruce boy. Mainly I can't have so many psychopaths running the streets, the only one putting people in jail that deserve to be there is you."

"Oh, so you don't belong?"

"Oh so I steal a little here and there, does it even really compare to those other freaks on the streets? Besides…" she purrs a little as she rubs his chest, "We have always worked so well together. Many of those freaks I helped you put away."

Bruce looks with stern eyes, "What happened?"

"What I can figure, you tossed your little belt into some turbines and the explosives plus dyes made it seem you died. Of course, being with more than nine lives like the feline persuasion you lived through a large toss about in the reservoirs. I found you and brought you here to heal. You'll be safe I promise."

"Oh? Well I know all that stuff but what about that criminal?"

"The guy who tried killing you? He died something I hear between him and Joker."

Batman lays into the bed and then he feels another feeling, "What happened with Joker?"

"He's missing, I hear he skipped town. Maybe to find something more worth his time."

Batman looks with some concern, "Oh no… Richard."

* * *

Robin enters first, soon Starfire and Beast Boy follow with Cyborg in the back. They circle around one steel table with a doctor and something under a white cover, "Are you really ready for this?"

Beast Boy points up his finger, "I just ate so maybe."

"It is a body of the deceased… should we see such a thing?"

Robin glares to the whole team, "I saw these many times with Batman… especially ones like this. I wanted you to see so you understand what we're up against."

The cover is pulled and soon all but Robin and the doctor react. Beast Boy turns away gagging, Starfire covers her mouth with eyes shaking, Cyborg looks stunned but he asks "Is he smiling?"

This was Razor Beak. "Yes, this is a sign of one of the villains from Gotham. He goes by the name… Joker."

"The Joker? Why is he here?"

"Because, if Batman is gone he must be here for… me."

"Friend Robin why is this Joker coming to find you?"

"He's obsessed with Batman and since he's dead he must have figured go for the next best thing."

"Or the runner up prize…" Cyborg sees how Robin nods, "That's why you wanted me to check on things."

"That and why I was upset when Raven told me about some guys who wanted me. He's here in Jump City, and he's not going to just be here to shop but to kill me."

"Dude! Kill you! That's not really what he's here for is it?"

"We will not allow that!" Starfire's eyes are burning, "This evil Joker man must be dealt with before such an outcome occurs!"

"I know but… he's not the easiest criminal to take down. He has men and so lost in his mind with wicked plots stopping him won't be easy! Let's worry about that later, we have to find Raven at the movies first."

They exit to the T-car and get into it. They leave in a hurry now wanting to get together and work up a battle strategy._

* * *

_

Will and Raven watch the movie with some interest. Great action, mediocre romantic themes the real art is in the actual comic styling of the film and how it stays so true to the graphic novels. The end of the film, Raven watches with a little blush as she looks up to Will, "I kind of… see you."

"Pardon?"

"I mean… Harttigan and you… Nancy and I their story is kind of like ours."

"What?" Will is really confused, "Wait, you mean our ages? The fact I'm 25 and you're 18 doesn't make as much a weird fix as her being 19 and him being 60 something… wait, was he that old?"

Raven giggles as she rolls up into his arm hanging off it, "I mean she loved him, and he loved her. It's just so difficult and in the end one has to make a major sacrifice. I don't know maybe I'm being weird."

Will nods, "Most definitely." She glares up but he's smiling "However your oddity certainly is as appealing as you are."

Will looks at the younger woman; a seductive sorceress in truth now looks at him with lucid, sparkling eyes. In the dimly lit movie house Will's features show a cool force about them, Raven heaves a breath as he was inching that masculine visage towards her own face. Then, the laughter…

* * *

Upon the upper balcony area is a man in a purple coat now laughing to the area. Some people grumble, some moan, and some yell at his outburst. "Oh, forgive me fine patrons of the picture show!" Will's head bends back the voice seems just as fanciful in person as on television. "Rae, we have to go now!"

Raven is confused yet she agrees, he pulls her up from their seat and tries to pull her out of the place immediately. The Joker looks down seeing them, but he ignores, none could escape his latest show. "A great movie, senseless killing and it turned one of my least favorite heroes' actors into a murdering cannibal, a riveting change of pace! Yet again, something is missing…" he taps his chin with one hand while reaching behind his back with the other under his coat.

Will and Raven are making their way but the crowd is in his way, he snarls pushing them and pulling her, "Move you ingrates!"

"Will! What's wrong?"

"That's the Joker! Don't you know that?"

Raven's eyes widen, she knew the rumors as Robin once let some talks about his old adventures go through. The Joker pulls something and tosses it into the air, "Why heavens be, the missing piece is an explosive ending!"

With the laughter and now panicked cries many begin to try and bustle free. Will knows getting out like this is impossible, so he pulls Raven into both his arms, kicks off some shmuck at his side, then kicking off the walls he barrels him and Raven out of the theatre as an explosion occurs. The fires surround others inside, and Joker leisurely is walking across the balcony as it now begins to crumble. Taking the last step out the door, Joker has one foot out and one foot on the balcony as it falls. Then pulling his foot into the doorway Joker turns seeing a man has leapt and grabbed the doorframe, "Oops, looks like somebody didn't like the show." He lies his foot on the terrified face, "Still, the double feature is to die for…" Joker pushes off now tossing the poor man into the flames and broken debris with the laughter echoing the now burning movie house.

Will stands up slowly brushing himself off, he sees Raven getting up too. "You okay?"

"Yes… just a little shaken up."

"Oh glorious of days, a true smash hit if I do say so myself." They turn to the man dreamily stepping into the main voyeur with his hands held at his heart, "Why, we truly brought the house down! That we did my fellows! That was a show that may never be forgotten upon all the ages!"

The Joker glares his cruel eyes to the two survivors, "Ah, something of the leftovers."

Baby-bop and Pitch are walking over, Baby-bop sees the two and he gets to sweating, "Oh man! That's the two that beat us up earlier! The girl and guy from the alley!"

"Oh is it now?" Joker leers his eyes playfully towards the two, "I must say that was a naughty little thing you did to my two cronies here. Don't you agree Mr. Jack?"

"Who?" Will raises a brow until a set of large hands grab his neck and tosses him into the men's bathroom. The hands now grab Raven and kick her knees in, outing her to the ground is a giant robot with a clown painted face. "Mr. Jack hates when people ruin parties, I'm sure you are not going to ruin mine are you?"

"Get off of me!" She turns up; "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" the android's head seems to creak under a black energy as the head bends back then snaps off. Joker blinks as Mr. Jack falls back in a thud and Raven stands to glare with her eyes glowing and hands energized, "Hold the phone… she's a titan isn't she?"

Baby-bop nods, Pitch ducks behind him saying "She's got the eyes of a devil that one does."

"What accent is that?"

"Me-gory, I don't reckon I know!"

"Hate you so much…"

Raven starts floating and charging more energy, "Get out of here! You ruined my date!"

"Date!" The Joker is grabbing at his coat's collar, "Why, my good fellows we ruined this girl's chances of dating! What a deplorable act, I feel like a cad… oh, I am a cad!" The Joker then pulls into his jacket and fires off two long barreled pistols on Raven who barely blocked with her shield, "Crafty little witch! Okay, how about we fight fire with fire… or magic, with magic!"

Raven feels something of a shift; a figure materializes behind her with the hissing of serpents. She turns and a long walking stick with a rounded head points on her before firing a pink aura. Raven is flung into another wall as Preacher stands with his walking staff, and his eyes glow in faint purple energy as he has the black skinned book in his other free arm. "Foul creature the lord orders your wretched soul be purged from this world."

"Gee, seems pretty unfair! I mean all of us against you! Where are those sill titans you love so dearly?" Joker grinned a little more sadistic, "Hopefully… their not tied up in traffic."

* * *

The titans are in a traffic jam of all things. Robin sits in the opposite front seat as Cyborg drove. Beast Boy is in the back with Starfire. The drive is taking too long for Robin and he asks "Cyborg, what's up?"

Cyborg shrugs taking and extending his robotic eye, "I can't tell… wait, it looks like the circus."

"What?" Robin blinks as Beast Boy pops into the front, "The circus is on the streets? What the heck are they doing that for?"

A man on stilts, he wears a round clown head with a long nose and then stomps his foot on the ground, it has metal spikes that now impale the hood of a car. Robin jumps out and tosses his birdarangs screaming "Titans GO!"

The three are confused until a new clown rolling on a wheel and holding two Uzis rolls over firing at their car, they run out and begin attacking the marauding makeup wearers.

* * *

Raven glares with anger, "I won't let you get away with what you did to those people!" She starts to channel on some debris and toss it, Pitch huffs then blows the debris exploding it. Baby-Bop jumps up and his body illuminates making the debris break apart and swirl around his form. The debris turns into a body around Baby-Bop, like a giant stone knight golem he stomps over screaming in the echoing armor, "Worry about yourself toots!"

Will pulls up from the ground a little dazed; he is inside a stall he must have ricocheted into the stall from the robot. Looking down he sees the mask is broken, no hiding as Slade in this moment. He hears a scream of Raven, his eye slinks as he has to think. Should he use his tools? Take a chance she wonders what he is doing with them… or try to escape? Option 2 is out of the question… he couldn't abandon her now. Will stands up and grabs into his jacket pulling out something, his own energy discs "I guess…" a grin as he leaps up and makes a run outside. He came up with a plan, at this moment that hallucination might have been more useful, and interesting help from his conscience.

* * *

Raven is being held in the air by the large hands of the golem Baby-Bop, "What's the matter? Can't fight me like this?" Baby-Bop chuckles, "I love tearing little people like you apart!"

Then some energy discs and the hands crumble. They swirl back into raised hands and Will gleams his eye tossing them this time at the waist, splitting the beast horizontally to now make the upper body falter on the side, little legs dangle from the separation swinging madly, "Hey! This is not cool!"

Pitch grabs the legs and tries pulling them free, he does pull the pants free showing leopard undies, "That be quite a statement little-buddy."

"Screw you! Get me out of this oversized statue!"

The Joker points his guns and fires but Will dodges them both, then having discs ready he flings them. Joker glares, and in aimed accuracy he fires the one in the air, then he waits and points the other gun up as he moves to shot and cause the second disc to flutter as it passes, then fall to the ground. "I have been pretty accustomed to little toss-a-roos from fools like you."

"Oh is that so?" Will glares his eye as pulls out an extending staff weapon "How about this?"

"You have to be kidding!" The Joker pulls under his purple coat and has a jester's wand, having a laughing head at the top mimicking his own visage, "Like I said you're nothing special to me!" The Joker raises the wand over his head and screams his laughter as he runs forward. The mad swing is easily blocked and soon the ferocious swings of the wand against Will's staff begin sparking.

Raven stands up slowly and notices the two fighting, where is Will getting these weapons? The room then begins to heat up, she sees flames are spreading over the entire theatre, "Oh no, we have to get out of here."

"Not yet my dear." Raven turns and has a pink glowing hand gripping her throat, the hand has a pink aura rolling up her cheeks and holding her with unholy strength, "I have still to purge your soul for my lord."

Will blocks more of the mad swings; Joker seems to rely on his sick rage to win. Will glared as he allows a strike and then pushes it back. Joker is wide open, so Will strikes forward but he misses, Joker rolls about and in a rage filled face he holds his staff up and swings down on Will's head. Will screams falling face first to the ground; Joker laughs as he twists his wand's head and makes a blade appear from the end.

Joker plunges the blade down. Will rolls past and kicks his leg up, knocking Joker in the square chest he now glares to grab his staff in one hand and swings it across the Joker's startled face. Joker stumbles back caught off guard, so now Will plows the butt of his staff into the still reeling ribs of Joker making his once sadistic grin turn to a hateful snarl. Joker is now on his butt holding his ribs and face.

Will stands and glares his eye now readying a high raised swing down. Joker reaches his hands on Will's ankles and a jolting pain ripples over Will. Will drops his staff as the bolts sparkle his body from hand-buzzers. The Joker, a sick grin on his face, swings his arm into the groin of Will now making him fall down grabbing. Joker swings his hand back and forward as a strong hook to the jaw, Will falters on his back still dazed. With rage fueling his attack, Joker grabs Will by the face and flings Will's head into the ground once, twice, and a third time.

After the third slam Will is back awake, he pulls himself up in a swing of his right fist knocking Joker up. Will then scrambles up and plows his head and upper body into Joker and up on a wall. Joker is then feeling fists in his ribs; the two are in a brawl as Joker begins punching his fists into Will's ribs to back him off.

Raven dodges the blasts of Preacher, he keeps pointing his staff out and firing or using his energy covered hands to punch her. Raven channels the stones and tosses them, some on fire they singe Preacher's skin as they pass but she never gets a good hit. Raven decides close combat; she flies in close and lands a punch. Preacher is caught off guard a moment before the energy in his eyes concentrates to a beam and launches her back.

Raven slams into the ground and soon she feels the staff's end in her gut pushing down and twisting. Preacher smiles until a small piece of stone flies up into his jaw flinging his head back. Taking advantage, Raven flings more debris to thwack Preacher on the chest, then the back, and once in his right shoulder each time the smacks took his body with them. Preacher falters on his one leg and pants heavily he was not used to pain.

"Wretched witch! You must die for the name of god!"

"God?" Raven stands up confused.

"Ah yes… even when The Brood found me I was a man of god. It began at a baptism… I was asked by an unwedded couple to bathe away their child's sins. The child was UN bath able; he was a sin in birth. He was filth, disgusting filth like his parents and all those others before me. So god spoke to me, he spoke saying I must cleanse…" he grips his staff and the energy burns brighter, "I must cleanse all of the unworthy lambs from the flock. To destroy the sinful ones, and to then eliminate all filth from my church! I did so, all in the name of god."

"You…" Raven shakes her head, "You sick monster."

"Do not look at me in such a way! It was the will of the heavens; they all had to die for the greater good! I cleansed them, now I cleanse you!"

The fires strike and Raven is flung back into arms, the arms are wearing green gloves. Raven looks to Robin and the other titans "Raven what happened?"

Raven is shifted up and she looks to Preacher who is sneering at her with the energy filled eyes, "These men, they attacked me and Will along with the Joker."

Robin looks around seeing two men punching strong punches to their faces, "Joker!"

Joker looks over smiling, "Ah, Rob…" he is punched and launched on a wall he looks up snarling, "I wasn't ready ass hole!" he runs up and backhands Will before kicking him in the ribs, "Now where was I… Ah! Rob…" again Will kicks out the legs from under Joker so to that Joker screams and launches himself on Will choking him, soon Will chokes Joker. Robin is looking blankly asking, "Is that Will?"

Raven blushes, "He's not usually so…" the sound of snapping and Joker screams loudly, "Violent… I think…"

Preacher floats over grabbing Will and tossing him, he then swings the staff to hold Joker back, "We must leave sir I feel that this meeting of your enemies and yourself was in some ways fruitful, others it was not!"

The Joker glares over the staff, he reaches his arm out to an unflinching Will, "Next time one-eye! Next time!" The Joker runs out a set of doors and soon Pitch and Baby-Bop do the same. Preacher looks over to the many heroes, "The Brood has never failed an attempt before. The contract has caused involvement of our Senior operatives; expect your lives to know the true essence of hell."

With those strange words, Preacher flings his staff up and fires a blast that now breaks up the roof more so they escape. Robin and Raven run out with Will soon following as the building collapses. Robin looks over to Will and gives his hand, "Thanks for the help."

Will looks at the hand and glares, his mind plays many things out, many wants to rip off the hand and shove it down Robin's throat… but the feeling Raven was close he gives his hand saying "A pleasure to be of some help."

Raven walks over sheepishly, "I'm… sorry for not telling you."

"What? That you know how to fight? I can't remember much of what happened, but the fight with that Joker jerk kept me pretty busy." He smiles as he turns away, he saw her use her powers but why ruin her ideas that she was outwitting him? "I don't know how but that rubble did seem to fall all over almost like it was willed around, weird."

Raven blushes a little more, "Um…" Robin interrupts adding "It was very hectic I'm sure things seemed more irregular than what you believed." He sees Raven sort of sighing in relief from the save.

"No problem," Will then holds up his energy discs, Raven blinks, "Why do you have weapons?"

"Oh?" His mind had come up with a scheme in the bathroom, and so now he decides to tell her his… "secret". "Well, you ever hear the phrase Bounty Hunter?"

Cyborg walks over, "A Bounty Hunter? Is that what you are?"

"To some degree yes I am also along the line of a vigilante. I take some bounties on criminals much like the ones in there. I was hunting the Brood and their members. Something around their involvement with your city, and The Joker has heated my involvement."

Raven is looking in awe, 'So much for my normal boyfriend… of course this is actually kind of better right?' "So Will, you're like a hero?"

"I don't like hero, I prefer self-implored justice official… no, actually Bounty Hunter or Will."

"Will the Bounty Hunter?" Beast Boy smirks as he stands at the sides with his arms crossed, "What a lame name."

"Yes, well Beast Boy is not that great either." To that Beast Boy glares, and Will returns the same each sensing the turmoil between them. Will finally hears giggling and Starfire floats in, "Hello again friend Will! It is nice to see you."

Will raises a brow, though internally he laughs at her outburst, "Do I know you?"

Starfire grabs her mouth; Raven floats over and says, "Will… I have something I want to tell you."

"Rae! You're floating! How can this be?"

Raven tells Will the truth of her being a titan. He's acting like he never knew, which honestly he only recently really learned but why ruin it? He is then asked if he wants to come to the tower but he declines planning to head back to his hide out. They give him a communicator but he declines that too. At first they seem upset but he's not really expected to join the team. With a smile and wave he disappears, Raven sighs as Beast Boy snarls, "He's old."

"Who asked you?"

"He has a point Rae," Cyborg walks up to the car, "He has gray hair."

"It's white, he's only 25, and finally it was part of an experiment."

Robin shrugs, "He did pretty good with Joker." He gets in the car as the others file in the back, "The only thing is… I feel like I know him some where."

* * *

Will enters the dark rooms and tosses off his coat. He sees a bowl of soup and so he sits down and begins eating it, "What an afternoon. Still, it was a lot of fun. I had a good time with Raven, beat up that stupid clown, and even played on the Titans a little… I wonder where this Brood mess will play."

Sonic the Hedgehog rolls up his shoulder, "Who knows… you wanna race?"

Will glares to the hedgehog, the soup, and then screams "Wintergreen!"

* * *

The dark room has Preacher bowing his head lowered to the six other figures as his form materializes in another room with a circling table, "Fellow Seniors, the mishap has only progressed. A strange man has appeared and shows a deal of skill."

"Really?" the men begin to talk amongst themselves "This will prove difficult… very much so. I guess you want more officials?"

"It would be appreciated."

The seniors look around, "Well, which of us is going?"

"I will." Says an overly royal voice, nearly like speaking was above him. "I would like a little fun."

"If he goes I should too, who knows how much damage he can do with one eye in a mirror and the other on the battle field."

"Then it is settled, Visage and Romeo will both go to Jump City. Hopefully they can give some results. All we need is for Judge to learn of this mess."

A mechanical voice speaks, "Of what mess?" and then two streams of steam bellow out from the mouth at angles. The many figures turn to the latest figure.

"Judge! We… we thought you were resting."

"I was but then I decided to wake up. Something is happening, what?"

"These is a disturbance, we have it covered!"

Another release of steam and a hand rises in a black metallic fitting with black silken fabric as the underhand cupping Judge's chin, "You can say it's covered all you want. I want it dealt with and ended, not covered up. Is that understood Banker?"

The man at the lead of the table lowers his head, "Yes, Judge."

"Good Banker. I would prefer that things are dealt with immediately something does not feel right… no it does not feel right at all."

Note: Tah-dah! Another chapter done, are you happy reviewers? The twisty nature is so twisty… tee-hee. Hope to hear from you all about the recent chapter more to come soon! I just have so many obligations to fulfill.


	7. Chapter 7

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 7: Pride and Lust

Note: I do not own Teen Titans, DC comics, and anything else I have come to say I do not own. I take credit to Akaige, Kagejin, and The Brood characters. This chapter may be a little short.

The next morning and the ritual is as always, Star makes the meal, Beast and Cy play their games, Robin reads the news getting leads and clues on the impending doom, and Raven… hell, who knows what she's going to be doing? Raven was more unusual, she will shift to reading, gazing on the morning sky, or just staying in her room to meditate. This morning she takes and does all three, multitasking the meditation and levitation of her latest book while on the roof with the morning sky. Raven takes from her meditation to read a page every so often then she meditates. Raven finally able to agree her meditation was well enough she sits down gently and lets the book into her hands to read more. Nothing would break her ritual of relaxed personal patience. Nope, not a thing could call her away.

"Friend Raven! Will has called our home for you."

The puff of swirling dust is all that seems left, an outline holding the book before it flops hard on the ground. Raven is on the phone, smiling with her cheeks colored Raven asks "Will? What did you call for? Another date?"

"No I was actually wondering if that invitation is still good." Will has an evil grin as he talks "I felt bad about refusing your friends, and the perfect chance to know more about you. Perhaps they wouldn't mind me coming over to say hi. That and I can get a tour of your place if the offer is still good?"

Raven seems delighted screaming "Really! You want to come here! I'm sure they all won't mind! Come on over you can have breakfast, and meet the others, and see the tower! Who knows maybe if you're good I'll let you see my room?"

The four titans look back, her, room? Raven is most awful about her little universe of privacy, aka her room! Will nods saying "Great I'll be over as soon as possible! Hope to see you soon!"

Raven hangs up the phone still smiling but when she turns and sees all those dumb looks she says "What?"

"You… your room?"

"So I offered to let him in my room what's wrong with that Beast Boy?"

Robin is rubbing his head "Gee Raven that's a strange thing to do so soon after meeting him. This is almost like that whole Malchior mess."

"No it's not Robin!"

"Yes it is Raven. You trusted him just as much as this Will guy and well we all know what happened. Maybe you're jumping into this too quickly."

Raven storms off to her room screaming "Shut the hell up! I don't need this!"

Raven was gone and Cyborg sits at the table, "Hey guys, you might want to look at Star." Cyborg opens up a paper saying "Good thing I kept my mouth shut."

Robin and Beast Boy look at the grinding teeth of Starfire. With both their eyes widening the sound of a beating royal echoes the halls to Raven's room. Raven was not really able to hear it as she looks in something of a daze to the trunk that book was in. She thinks about it, how trusting and foolish she was before. Could she be doing this again being a silly fool?

* * *

Will has gotten a bath, clean change of clothes, and even put his mask away not needing it once again. Wintergreen watched this change and seems to smile to himself before Will walks over to him "So, how do I look?"

Slade wore the coat again, but leaving it open he shows the black turtleneck and blue jeans with black boots. "Hm, it suits you sir."

"Thanks…" Will blinked a little confused "I think."

"Don't worry I'm sure the madam will enjoy your company no matter what you wear."

"Yes but her friends are the hard part. I need to get them on my side as well less my plan fails. That, and Raven really wants me to get along with them I know it."

* * *

Time passed and the door is knocked on and rung. The door opens, and two men walk in. The opening door has Baby-Bop closing it quickly, in a jester outfit. He waddles over, and mumbling how he hates this he toots a Kazoo and introduces, "The prince of pranks, master of malicious mirth, and sultan of slapstick, The Joker!"

The Joker swirls in his swivel chair and screams "Hello, salutations, and whatever else the hell you want to hear! I am the Joker, one and only! You must be Romeo and Visage?"

The first to step forward is a handsome man wearing the black coat and clothing, but a spiked armor shoulder plating on his right shoulder and braided hair with two bangs. His hair, like his eyes are an icy blue with a kind of clarity in their shine. His bow of his head, he says in a kind voice "I am Romeo."

The second male figure steps forward with the black coat and pants, but his chest is bare showing defined abs and pectorals but he was not too muscular. The face is with a beauty mark on the right cheek, and eye shadow with makeup the royal arrogance of Visage does a nod speaking "I am Visage."

Preacher steps over to Joker's side and does a slight nod to his senior brothers. "When will you begin?"

"As soon as possible! The faster this average city is behind me the better. It does not deserve to be in my grace." Visage pulls up a white mask which covers his face except his blue eyes, letting the waved golden hairs curl over it. Visage fears his face may be harmed, so he wears the mask to protect it.

Preacher nods and says "Visage, Romeo take to the streets but stay together! Find the man with the one eye and kill him or anyone who gets in your way! Take no chances kill them all if it is necessary. I do not trust this one."

* * *

Raven sits a little less nervous at breakfast. The plan was Will would come over and she would get him and her friends to be all together and stuff. Though one was not so pleased with this, Beast Boy keeps sitting and watching Raven's dreamily moving her food with her fork. She didn't understand this was wrong… she was supposed to be with him! Come on, he was the green-heart-throb!

Before his frustration could boil to an outburst the sound of a ringing like sound enters. Raven stands up quickly looking to the door. She leaves to answer as the other titans get a little nervous.

Robin and Beast Boy noticed Cyborg and Starfire standing up. "We feel that you both have shown greater distaste to the relationship of friend Raven than we. There for we have come to the conclusion to show you a demonstration to situate you in the proper place of your personality."

Cyborg holds up a frying pan and an egg, "This is your brain." Cyborg puts the frying pan down and places the egg on the pan gently. "This will be your brain if you mess this thing up for Raven." Starfire blasts the plan frying the eggs and then Cyborg smacks the pan to fling the eggs in the air where he snaps them up and swallows them whole. The two boys seem to get the message as they slunk into their seats. "I'm glad we had this nice little talk."

Raven enters in the room with Will who instantly can tell from Starfire's joyous smile and Cyborg's neutral grin… and Robin with Beast Boy seem to cringe in the corner he has those two as his aggressors and the others are his allies. Since breakfast was still being served Will sat down and had some mainly because it was easier than directly making a full conversation. Beast Boy kept a sort of glare to his own corner of the room away from the group. Robin is still very skeptical, but something in him realizes he has to make an effort at least. "So Will." Will with a glass of milk looks up, "What exactly is the deal with you and vigilantism?"

Will nods and drinks the milk some before putting it down. "I guess I needed some kind of closure from my past. That and I have someone I feel needs closure too."

"Really sounds fairly much like the reason behind every vigilante."

"Perhaps, but does it truly matter how a man chooses to live?"

Robin nods to this and smiles "I guess not."

After a couple little chats and talks Robin warmed up to Will. It is like the two could almost be father and son as they talked about moves and skills of the trade. Will at times felt he was actual almost able to forgive Robin. Then again, other times he got the idea to slit the boy wonder's throat here and now. In the end he just sat and talked making hardest to impress the young Robin.

Beast Boy was nothing close to hospitable. Arms and legs crossed on the couch away from the others he snorts every time he hears laughter. He even snarls hearing Raven laugh, who is this guy? Beast Boy tries every day to get her to laugh but this guy and his humor makes a laugh riot! Raven pulls Will up saying "Okay, okay now I want you to come with me."

"What for?"

"My room, I want to show you some things."

Will gives a lightly intrigued smile, "Hm, and what things may I be shown?" Raven ignores the statement and drags him along. Beast Boy now joins the group asking "Seriously, how much do you hate him?" The three look around nervously, "He's so big, and all 'Ooh, I'm a dude with cool weapons and martial arts and stuff.' Well, he's not going to trick us is he guys?"

"Actually B., I liked him."

Beast Boy gasps at Cyborg, "Yes, friend Raven has a genuinely prospective suitor." Robin nods smiling "He's pretty much the best thing that's happened to Raven. I'm happy for her too now that I know what kind of guy he is like."

"Dudes! He's evil! I can tell, I can tell he's up to something evil! I mean, how old is he and she's just barely eighteen! This is like, totally not cool!"

"Friend Raven!" Starfire pulls Beast Boy to her face, eyes glowing as his ears are slinking with his face, "She is pleased with her male suitor and if you are pleased with breathing through your fleshy apparatus called lungs you had best prove as joyous as we!"

Beast Boy meekly squeaks "Sure…"

* * *

Raven enters her room and Will walks in seeing the dark foreground. Yes, even he has to admit the dark room gives a tempting feel of worry and fear. Still he goes ahead and steps into the center of the room and looks all over the items. Dark looking as it may be this only shows a surface of things sad and strange. Will sits on the bed and raises a brow to the cushions, soft and kind of nice. "I see." His smile gets Raven interested, "A dark and odd outside. Still, the inside seems more caring and somewhat willing to be embraced."

"What?"

"Your room is cold and dark but your bed is soft and cushioned. In other words, like you the outside is dark but the true meat of you is a woman wanting to be cared for." Will stands up shrugging, "Or am I just being odd?"

"Yes." Raven steps over and surprised Will as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, "But mostly no."

Will lets his arms wrap her to his chest and soon he's sitting on the bed with her curling up into his lap. Her legs cross over his and so he's just sort of holding her without any other real concerns. Raven lets her eyes close before saying "It's been a long time since anyone held me. My father never did, my mother seldom did. Either way, this is the first time I ever wanted someone to just hold me."

Will nods as his thumb is rubbing the back of her head but she merely stays there. Will lets his eye slink a little as he remembers a woman he once held like this, "This is the first I could ever really hold anyone for a long time. I almost forgot how nice it is just to do this. Not fighting, or killing just sitting and holding someone you love."

There is a silence and Raven shifts her head up to Will, "You love me?"

"Yes." He smirks before letting his nose into her hair breathing deeply her scent. "You love me as well?"

"…." Raven is silent but she nods saying "Yes."

That was what they did for the morning sort of just sitting and holding each other. This goes on for several hours before Will realizes Raven fell asleep. With a smirk he places her onto the bed and stands up watching her sprawl out on the mattress. How can seeing someone like this make him feel so good? Her being so damn happy… hm must be something in caring about others. Will looks up to the door and gets the call of nature. Strolling out to the main room he finds Beast Boy is the only one here still. "Beast Boy?" Beast Boy looks up with a little twitch in his eye "Do you know where your bathroom is?"

"Yeah, it's where the toilet is."

"That would be positioned where?"

Smirking, "The bathroom."

"Which door?" Will gets a sort of snarl on his lip and Beast Boy looks over and points down the halls "That one over on the side."

"Thanks froggy I owe you one." With a smirk Will leaves an angry Beast Boy fuming on the couch. After taking care of business Will is washing his hands and thinking about the day so far. Will looks at himself in the mirror and then runs the water so he can splash his face. Will splashes the water in his face and comes back up to see himself in the mirror. He blinks to a strange sound in the bathroom now. He turns off the water and looks around what is with that noise? It sounds like scraping or something. Will finally rolls his eye and snaps "Beast Boy."

"Will…" Will's eye is wide he turns quickly to the mirror; in it was Raven's face with trails of blood and forcefully pushed up on the glass. Will runs over as her face seems to sink down the mirror he opens the cabinets, nothing, and closing the cabinet he sees nothing…

Will looks confused but he grabs his face and takes a step back "What is wrong with me? The tests, are they acting up again?"

As Will kept his face held in his hand and eye closed tight with worry the mirror seems to ripple. As the mirror seems to begin rippling Beast Boy knocks on the door "Will? You okay in there or what?"

Will looks up not noticing the mirror quickly settling. "Yeah, I'm coming out now." Will looks to the mirror and sees it is just a mirror.

* * *

Raven wakes up slowly from her rest smiling. "Will?" She notices she was lying on the bed and he was gone. Raven sits up and looks all over the room he seems to be gone. Was it a dream? "No! Will! Stop!"

"You've had it coming for a long time you little troll! I can't wait till they see your guts splattered over these walls!"

"Ah!"

Raven runs out with hands glowing to find Will laughing maniacally as Beast Boy is curled up on the floor. The television screams, "You Loose!"

Raven faults a little as Will is now gyrating his hips and arms to the television. When Will sees Raven he sweats a little and stands straight coughing "You're awake I'm glad Rae."

"What have you been doing?"

"Playing games! Will is pretty good… especially since he CHEATS!"

"Rematch troll!"

"Anywhere, and anytime old man!"

The two go to playing again and Raven just giggles to them. She sits at the kitchen table and goes to reading so far Will has made 'friends' with all of her friends. The doors open and Cyborg shows up with Robin and Starfire. "That was one nice shopping was it not friends?"

Cyborg drops several bundles of junk and pants, "Yeah real nice Star… for you." He starts to look through the bags and blinks, "Hold up, did we buy the chips? I know we bought the chips!"

Raven looks up as Robin slaps his face "I forgot! Remember when we were headed through chips-and-dips well I got that call and we left too soon!"

"Oh yeah the one from Gotham? What was that about?"

"Just something about Bat-Girl took over for Bat-Man with the help of Robin Jr." Robin turns to grab his keys "I'll go back to the mall and get some chips."

Cyborg looks at the sky smirking, "Hey Robin! Why don't you take Starfire and you two can drop off Will and Raven! I think that will work out pretty good for us all."

Will looks back nodding "Rae, you want to go to the mall? Maybe we can get you something nice to wear for our next date."

Raven looks a little shifty-eyed, "I'm not one for the mall."

"Come on it'll be fun! Just let me finish up with this brat."

"Yeah like that's going to…" The screen makes a noise and Beast Boy drops his paddle blinking, "Happen…"

Raven stands up and nods "Let me change first okay?" Will bows on his knees a little saying "Tis a pleasure to wait my lady."

* * *

While in the mall three figures walk along the way. One is a large man with his little friend on his shoulders. The sound of irritated drumming fingers soon gave them a chill. They turn to their pale skinned leader with the makeup on their face. The person in question glares HER pink eyes, with pink hair tied in two parts. "You two idiots have any reason why we're here?"

Jinx the self-proclaimed leader of the H.I.V.E. without Brother blood has her two partners Mammoth and Gizmo cringing at her threatening stance. Gizmo the small green suited bald genius asks "Wasn't it your idea to come here?"

Mammoth, the hairy teen in a black outfit nods "Yeah you wanted to see what was for sale!"

Jinx raises her eyes up in thought before smiling "Hey you're right!" she turns rubbing her hands with the two others following her. They seem to do some shopping as Jinx packs Mammoth like a mule. While trotting along she notices something and stops to have the others stumble behind her "Mm, that looks nice."

"What?" Gizmo looks over to the man with the one eye "That guy? He's a little old for you Jinx."

"So? I like to alter my tastes in men. Young guys are kind of boring anyway. I think I'll go and get better acquainted!"

Jinx was about to make her move when Mammoth grabs her by the shoulders. She seems upset before he points "He's already pretty acquainted!"

Jinx blinks over and gasps to Raven in some no-sleeve T with and loose green jeans "Shoot! He's with her! I mean, how wrong is that?"

Jinx then pulls away and gets a smile, Gizmo murmurs, "Oh man, she's got that insidious look in her eyes."

"Probably not enough dairy."

Gizmo glares up to Mammoth, "I pity and envy your oblivious ignorance."

* * *

In the center of the mall next to the fountain Vanity and Romeo sit on a bench. Vanity looks across the area with his cold blue eyes smirking at several women that noticed him. "I think I might go skin myself some rabbits."

"No." Romeo strikes his arm on Vanities chest "We need to stick to the plan. No alterations and never attack alone. If Preacher was worried then he has good reason."

"Preacher is an old man he's hardly able to fight as it is."

"Preacher has been a senior officer longer than us; only Banker and Judge have the seats higher than him. He knows what he's doing."

"Whatever…" Vanity glares to several more women, "I still say a little mindless slaughter won't hurt anything."

Note: Well, there goes the neighborhood! I wonder what will happen as this little mall trip goes on. It seems these two, Raven and Slade just can't have a normal date! First Raven gets attacked, then Star got involved, then Joker blows up their other date, now the titans meet Will and mix up the time along with this involvement of Jinx and the Brood! What can happen next, read and find out next time! For now, check out this advertisement for my latest fic yet!

_The following is an advertisement, this fic is rated M for Mature with violence, death, war, course language, and perhaps other adult themes. Reader discretion may be advised._

'It's just… a dream…' the heart beat is steady but such fear is in her heart. 'All a dream, Raven, just a dream.' Her eyes are closed though she feels the pain and misery all around her. Opening her eyes she soon realizes she should not have. She looks with her eyes nearly dying with her heart with the scene before her. The city is blown up much like with her father but smoldering buildings are fallen on themselves. Some people seem to moan and wail in the chaos as the rubble sometimes still collapses from destruction. Raven holds her mouth to keep the muffled horror in, but from her hands she still speaks "Oh my Azar…"

_"First, there was the age of the aquatic. Then, the age of the amphibious and reptilian."_

Raven walks through the terrible city to then find herself standing below the shadow of a large statue of a man, or man like being. His arms crossed, form huge and muscular. The being has tubes rolling from his back to his arms and his flesh as she knew would have been a blue metallic mix. Her mind knows the name, the being, and his awful destiny and belief of how only, in his days, would 'Survival of the fittest' be the rule of the land.

_"Soon came the age of the mammals. Later, the age of man. However, how will the world of the Teen Titans be able to face the age of…"_

"Apocalypse." Raven's eyes seem to shake as she says his name now. To her words the statue seems to explode and as the dust roars around her the head of the statue slams behind her loudly. From the statue a figure emerges from the chest, the arms still a part of the remaining statue. A metallic body glistens with a red casing mixed into the mechanics. He is a robot, a mind loaded into a fully robotic body. She knew too soon the face and smile, his gray tuff version of hair and red eyes glaring. "_Brother Blood_!"

"Raven!" Brother Blood steps and then leaps to Raven. He lands with one foot at her front and latches onto her arm as she was ready to struggle "Look at it Raven! Look at the new age we are in! An age of war, misery, and the age of our new master! I am his first ally, the first of his greatest minions! With his leadership, his evil this world will know all too soon what their true destiny is!" Blood grips her wrist tighter, snarling, "As for you! Well, our world does not have a place for foolish heroes like you!"

Blood is then struck by green bolts, a sonic blast, a bird-arang, and acorns from the four other titans making him fall back startled. Raven is surrounded by her friends and soon Robin snaps "Keep your hands off of Raven!"

"You brought your friends?" Blood smiles cruelly, "Then allow me to call my own!" The arms and legs break, three more fiends appear. The four monsters attack the four titans and Raven looks all around. She sees Cyborg attacking Blood. Robin fights a gray skinned man with red eyes and a blue outfit, he grabs Robin and yells "Welcome to the _Darkseid_ of the universe, boy!"

Beast Boy leaps over a red android with a screen as its face, the screen has golden eyes and a golden mouth displayed and it charges a beam tossing Beast Boy to the ground from his kangaroo form. "Resistance is futile. I am _Nimrod_ the ultimate sentinel. No mutant may withstand my superior design, and programming."

Starfire blasts her bolts over the form of a crystal armored being with energy as its body inside the armor. Its red skull and ribs are apparent and as it rises its left arm with the club like appendage with red vents it screams "The fires of space do not even begin to match my fires of hell! Burn, burn for the filth you are!"

Raven steps back to then bump into the head of the statue. Raven looks past the statue now seeing many fights going on. One man with adamantium claws slashes through the hordes of enemies, snarling and screaming with his rage. Behind him a black man with his green armor blasts enemies and tosses them to the distance with the ring he uses. Many more heroes seem to be fighting, and many more villains make out in the distance. It is a war of good and evil with innocent lives in the chaos between it. Raven shakes her head, "This is the age of Apocalypse."

The statue head seems to crack; Raven leaps up and floats some distance as the cracks seem to shine in a purple light. The statue shatters and a stray block hits Raven to the ground. She pushes herself up and looks in horror at the figure leaving the dust. Its torn and riddled cape flaps behind its strong strides. The figure stomps up to Raven, and she looks up in great horrid fear of the being now before her.

_"If it is not the Age of Apocalypse… it is my age, an age of shadow."_

The three fingered claw grips Raven's chin and with its cruel smile, it speaks _"The Age of Akaige."_

Thank you for reading this little "advertisement" now please if you can handle mature things like death and murder, some language, take and read "The Age of Akaige" as it is going to be my biggest project ever. This story will have Teen Titans, Justice League, X-Men Evolution, Marvel and DC comics, and many more kinds of heroes and villains so please go and take a read! I really would like to hear some ideas of possible characters to use, good and EVIL I need lots of villains, and I want villains with mainly real evil mindsets and causes like world destruction, murder, and some real cruel things in natures.


	8. Chapter 8

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 8: Wings That Will Soar

Note: Sorry it took so long. I'm busy moving and stuff. I don't own Teen Titans, Deathstroke, and 'The man in black'. I do take credit for my villains from the Brood. Perhaps others may come too, like Akaige who plays a little roll here and again.

Will sat outside the dressing booths. As this may seem nothing to most people to Will the chance to sort of sit and relax kind of was worth it. After the past few nights and each date ending with some strange hellish events now he found himself actually enjoying the time with this woman without worry anything could go wrong. After all, what in the hell could go wrong in a public mall?

"Will?" Will looks up from the floor to the booth, "Do you want to see?"

"Sure." Will looks then in awe as Raven stepped out with a slight blush. She had a black dress with a slit up the one leg, an opening at the stomach and slits with netting along the ribs. The nice way it curved, or maybe she curved in this dress made Will also blush. "Rae…"

"You like it?"

"No… I love it." Will stood up and seems to skim her over a billionth time, "I mean it just, on you, wow."

Raven smirks asking "Are you at a loss for words?"

"What's a word?" His chuckle makes Raven sort of giggle, but in the distance a man in a black trench and long brim hat seems to pitch up his head. He turns back to the two figures and walks over to the waiting chairs to sit down. Will asked "Are you going to wear this back?"

"No I might mess it up before we can go on a date with it! How about you wait a little longer while I get dressed. I have some things I need to get anyhow."

"No problem." Will sits back and sighs as she leaves.

"She's pretty hot." Will glares to the man next to him twiddling black gloves. "What? I'm just saying she is."

"Thanks for noticing the obvious about _my_ girlfriend."

"Oh no problem!" The new person seems to twiddle his thumbs in his lap. Will got a weird feeling about the guy so he asks "Can I help you?"

The man shrugs asking "Can I help you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well?" The man leans up close "Can I?"

"You're a weird one."

"Ooh! Not only that I'm your biggest fan!"

Will was now really confused, "What are you talking about?"

The man stands up and turns around "I'll see you later pal!"

Will was about to get angry when he heard the booth open. Raven pops out in her previous outfit. Will turns and smiles to her, not letting on he was upset with the strange man that had been right there a second ago. That same man walks into the mall and turns to leave into the deeper parts of this building. He soon notices the strange pink haired girl and her other friends but heeds no mind. He just saw his old pal Deathstroke, why waste time playing with kids when you have a man or rather a monster like this?

* * *

Jinx glares to her two male companions, "Well? What do you think?"

Gizmo blinks, "We distract Raven while you try to seduce this guy to the dark side?"

"Exactly! This plan can't fail."

Mammoth asks "What about us with Raven?"

"Meh, you won't get hurt too bad."

"Dude! She's a freaking monster! This whole plan is crud-sphincter!"

"…."

Gizmo shrugs to the two confused teams "I've been learning new words."

"Right, just do what I told you two to do!"

* * *

Starfire sat opposite to Robin in the food court. They went shopping and bought the chips but Cyborg never said they needed to get back too soon. Star sat and twirled her straw in her drink as Robin ate a sandwich. Robin finished up as she sighed, "Star?"

Starfire blinks and sits up straight "Yes Robin?"

Robin taps the tip of his lip, Star blushes when she thinks he wants her to kiss him there. Her eyes shake and she leans in, Robin reaches out that same hand to her chin where his thumb caresses her corner lip. She coos, and Robin then retracts his hand with her moan of pain "You had some mustard on your lip."

"…." Starfire sits back down and looks at her feet, "I see, thank you friend."

Robin notices her sort of depression and asks "Are you okay Starfire?"

"I am fine." She grabbed another mustard packet and eats it. Robin now gets his detective like look, a brow raised and arms crossed, "Starfire."

"I am honest dearest friend.

"Come on you're my best friend." A slight twitch in her chest and he becomes more concerned, "I'm worried. Most of the times you won't talk to me or you seem upset when we do talk. What did I do?"

Starfire looks at her food, "Have you ever wished for more? More things than this life has now and perhaps ever may. A chance to ensure more freedom, a life for you and a mate?"

"What?" Robin blinks "You mean like marriage? I'm not really worried about that."

"Why not? Is it not the nature of both our species to try and find a mate? To find Gazlefan!"

"…." Robin raises a brow "Gazlefan?"

The next thing they know a scream is heard. Robin jumps up and snaps "Let's go Star!"

Starfire watches Robin leaping to the hero world. She sighs, but willingly follows.

The woman screams loudly as a giant cockroach skittered to her with acid dripping from its mouth. As it readies to attack, Robin leaps in and swings his staff to its head making the beast step back. Then the bolts flicker over its back making it scream in pain with Starfire's passing assault next to Robin. "The pest control is here!"

"Robey-pooh!" Robin twitches as a blonde haired girl steps off the roaches back and to the young boy, "Oh, I thought I'd never see you again! You miss me?"

Starfire has a vein on her head "Was she not in prison?"

"Oh I was. Then my daddy broke me out. He's such a useful old oaf. What are you two doing here? Are you on a date?"

"No! It's not a date!"

"Really! Then how about we go on a date?"

"EW! NO!" Robin turns to Starfire, "Star we…" Starfire has her back turned to Robin, "Star?"

"Would it be so unbearable to be on a date with me?"

"What?" Robin slaps his face "Not now, Star just help me out will you!"

"You're going to need all the help you can muster because I have a new boyfriend! He's your arch nemesis after all!"

"Arch nemesis? Oh man she better not be talking about."

"BEHOLD TITANS! It's your arch-nemesis! Control Freak!"

As the fat teen with pimples, a brown coat and long orange hair hops next to Kitten, Robin murmurs, "I wonder what the others are doing."

* * *

Cyborg and Beast Boy sat in the television room. "So… what you want to do?" Beast Boy shrugs and flips the channel.

* * *

Robin swings his staff out to Control Freak, "What are you up to this time?"

"Up to? Me?" Control Freak holds up his arms as if surrendering "Come on I'm not that bad…" A remote rolls up to his hand, "I'm worse!"

Robin turns to the stores, electronics "Oh boy…"

From the stores killer toasters, televisions, and cables seem to twist and jump around the two heroes. Robin snorts in his defiant snarl "I'm not afraid of these toys of yours Control Freak!"

Starfire used her superior energy bolts to destroy the machines, Robin a combination of his staff and fist strikes along with devices of his own. When after the machines lay broken they noticed Control Freak and Kitten stood there with a very pleased look on their faces. "What is so entertaining?"

"Oh, my boyfriend merely needed a little time to pick up some movies."

"The movies of your doom!" Control Freak tosses the two videos down and then with his remote he blasts them with energy. The first movie turns into a giant man like thing, with army pants and ragged work boots covered with mud, a flak jacket with a muscular bare chest underneath the open jacket, then the gasmask over a bald head.

"Mason Toorhies! The greatest horror-slasher villain of all time. The specialty of course women that pine over guys too much."

"I do not pine over him." Starfire pouts until an axe nearly cuts her head off. Mason screams in haggard breaths with each wide swing of the axe while Star floats and dodges over or under the blade. The second video turns into a man in white judo outfit and red bandana with black hair and strong eyes. He begins jumping up and down with his fists tightly clenched "Mitsurushi! The Flaring Fist of Fury! His hands are not only good for fighting but also massive ranting movements."

"That is true!" His hands swish in mid-air chops and strikes, "For I am the master of martial arts, and of combat hand-to-hand! My skills are well revered in all the land! The emperor himself has…"

Control freak whispers "See what I mean?" Mitsurushi is still ranting and moving his arms as Control Freak grabs two chairs and pop-corn, "Now! On with the show!"

"Yes great lord Control Freak! I will obey, for honor!" Mitsurushi leaps forward and strikes his palms on the staff weapon, "Forward palm of power!" Robin pushes back "Forward flipping jump," Mitsu leaps over the staff holding it he then chokes Robin with the staff "With choking toss of enemies weapon!" Robin is flipped over Mitsu's shoulder with the staff and into a trashcan. A banana peel flops on Robin's head where he snarls "I don't know if the fact he keeps screaming everything, or he's actually good at this ticks me off more."

* * *

Raven promised no more than a minute or two she'd have to get something without him. Will agreed because he was bored anyway. He sat outside the store to get some relax time while she went ahead and bought some things in the store. She went into the hygiene aisle, she was figuring she needed to go ahead and buy some stuff that Will really wasn't ready for actually being there for. She reached up and grabbed a box sort of giggling how silly it was not letting him here just because it would embarrass a man like him. Raven then hears a noise, turning she is in the grasp of metal spider legs. The legs drag her in titanium restraints tossing her through a door into the storage rooms of the mall. Mammoth now raises a crate and tosses it. The restraints burst apart and the crate is levitating to "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."

Mammoth feels Gizmo leap on his shoulder. With both their eyes wide Gizmo asks "Why is she in charge of the team anyway?"

"Because she's scary."

"Is that so?" Gizmo points to the energy covered Raven "When did that not seem scary to you?"

* * *

Jinx strolls behind the bench that Will sat on. He looks to the ceiling not caring what is happening until he notices the girl now sitting next to him. She gives a self confident smile to Will, which he ignores to stare up again.

"Why are you looking up there? The show…" She trails her fingertips on his arm "Is right next to you."

"Plenty of people have seen that show. I heard it had poor reviews."

"Oh?" Jinx smirks a little more as that was very interesting he could say that so easily to her. "My name is Jinx what's yours?"

"Wilson." She nods "Will?"

"No only certain people can call me Will. My name is not your concern shouldn't you be off doing something illegal?"

"Is that a crime?" She giggles, "Oh, wait that is." She laughs too forcefully. Will has been with women a lot and perhaps her skill and feminine charm was appealing, he knew it wasn't worth worrying over. She seems too forced and made-up. When it comes to Raven the thing that interests him most is the fact she is more realistic. She was not false, but true to how she was. Perhaps strange, but worth the time to notice. "Say, why don't we ditch this place and go back to mine."

"No thanks." Her patience now wore thin, "I'm with someone right now."

"Oh come on. I'll make it worth your while." She lays her one hand on the upper thigh, "I mean, really worth your while."

"My dear." Will grins slightly leaning to her he lays a hand on hers. She gives a pleased smile before her face grows to pain. Will is clenching her hand tightly, "I'll rip that hand off you ever put it close to my groin again!"

Jinx pulls away holding her hand and looking at the death glare he gave. Her eyes are wide, his tone and voice, that way he looks at her, "…." Will narrows his eye before realizing, "Slade?"

* * *

Robin leaps over the dual kicking, "Kicking ostrich takes partial flight!" Robin blinks as Mitsu lands then kicks back up into Robin's spine. Robin lands face first now having Mitsu land on his back pulling his legs, "Crow tugs worm for leveraged lunch!"

"Make him shut up!" Robin pulls out a birdarang and tosses it into Mitsu's face; he stumbles up screaming "Mole's eye burn in fire of light!"

Robin stands up and finds Starfire is punching the axe with her floating stance. Mason huffs as his axe is kicked to the distance and then she grabs a free arm tossing the larger monster to a wall. Starfire begins pounding on Mason with fierce punches when all of a sudden his two hands grip Starfire's neck. Starfire grabs at her throat to pry the hands off. "Starfire!"

Robin tries to help but he is slapped down, "Crouching Tiger!" And a massive jolt from a punch makes Robin scream to the sky, "Hidden Dragon!"

Starfire sees Robin and turns to the monster holding her neck. She charged up her eyes and fired a blast to its face. The monster, Mason is tossed from the force. Its mask falls off and as it scrambles up from the glass of the store it fell into his hideously deformed face with one lip tucked up and eye like a reptile scared most the people inside. One man, the man in black with the hat that saw Will merely stood there watching as Mason stood up and walked to him and grabbed its axe. Mason snarls at the man, but he asks "You think that's scary?" The man pulls off the hat and down his collar. Mason drops his axe and stands straight in fear. The man ten quickly puts back on his hat and collar, "Thought so."

The man kicks up the axe, and with a massive turning swing he lodges the axe deep into Mason's frightened face. Mason seems to crackle and break apart into a video tape that then burns up in flame. The man tosses the axe before it too breaks up. "See what happens when you meet a real monster?" the man turns to Starfire who looks in awe, he gives her a thumbs up and she smiles flying back to help Robin. The man cracks his neck and turns back to the tape before he stomps it down snarling.

Mitsu struck his fists to Robin before Starfire grabs him by the foot and tosses him away. Robin watches as Starfire pulls him up. "Thanks Star. I thought I was a goner!"

Starfire nods before turning and firing her hands with full power. The bolts shatter the tape into bits making Mitsu also break apart. Robin turns to the worried Control Freak and Kitten. "I have an idea!" Control Freak holds up his hand with the remote but Starfire blasts the remote allowing Robin to now toss a birdarang with titanium restraints. The restraints ensnare the two villains, Kitten growls, "We are so over!"

Starfire pants in relief "May we return home? I am how you say, 'Pooped'."

"Yeah," Robin snares the restraints tighter, "Sure thing Starfire. Let's just grab the food and get the heck out of here."

* * *

Jinx turns to Will stunned. He too is a bit worked up she knew the truth. "What are you doing here?"

Will glares to the side, and in a devious smile he says "What do you think? I'm trying to destroy the Teen Titans." Jinx raises a brow, "By dating Raven?"

"Yes. By dating the strongest of their members, luring her out to the open, and then once and for all removing her from them as my new apprentice."

"Oh…" Jinx grins widely "Oh! Gee that sounds excellently evil! You always did have a way with evil plans."

"Indeed now get going. I don't need you ruining my plans!"

"Sure thing Slade… I mean Will." She grinned to herself running off. Will sighs to himself as she was gone. True as it was his first plan, now he was more torn to other means. What could happen now does not matter. Jinx was out of his way for now. As long as he could handle it he would try to keep his identity a secret to Raven. Will smirks at how well he dealt with that mess, then the feeling of a hand on his shoulder "I told you to…" Will turns up and narrows his eyes to the man with the white mask "Who the hell are you?"

* * *

Raven finishes swishing her hand which moved the metal poles around the two villains. "Now stay there!"

"Yes ma'am."

Raven floats out the room and plans to finish shopping as a man is tossed through the window and into the store. She glances to see Will rolling to her feet and then standing with the pieces of glass in his back. "Will!"

"Stay back Raven! I've got this under control." Will stands up and Raven notices the glass is falling off him. It was like they were being pushed out from his back and even the worst of the marks seemed to heal. He turns to see her confusion, "I'll explain later. Right now just stay here… please." He turns to the man in the mask Visage. Visage sees Will step out from the broken window and he blinks, "He's not even bleeding. What is that all about?"

"Preacher said he was different. Be weary of him."

"Yes, well if I must. Don't worry about fighting this time I don't think he'll live that long."

Romeo narrows his cold ice eyes, "I wouldn't be so sure…"

Visage steps forward readying his fists with flexes and releases, Will merely walks up to this challenger. "You think the next time you can hit me in the face? Not from behind my back!"

"Oh if you are so picky!" Visage punches forward to the face of Will, but Will inches his own face with a smile to the side. Visage is startled as a fist is coming in on his face but in a fast leap back Visage dodges that punch, "Crap! How did he move that fast!"

"Told you." Romeo says with a smirk. Visage roars up in a new attack. Visage tries to strike his punches with the blocks of Will, each block Visage turns his forearms to swings and flings hoping to strike the face and ribs of Will. Will turns his head and bobs his back to the attacks, and waiting for a moment the forearm comes close to his face Will lets the strike hit him, but when Visage thought he hit Will grabs the wrist of that arm and pulls it back. Will smashes his forearm into Visage's face three consecutive times causing the mask to break. Letting go of the arm Will pushes Visage back then makes a forceful kick to the face.

Visage grabs the foot and twists it to twirl Will in the air. Will lands in a sprawl to watch a foot stomping on his head. Will rolls to the side then leaps up in a tackle of Visage. Visage screams as he is tossed back into the bench. Will grabs for a block of wood to smack into Visage. Visage grabs the arm and punches his fist into Will's diaphragm causing him to cough and hack. Will pushes back up and turns to see Visage kicking up both his feet to Will's chest now flinging him back. Will skids on his back dropping the wooden piece. Will snarls as he pushes up off his elbows but Visage slams his one foot into Will's chest. Will screams as he now grabs the foot that begins to press deeper into his chest.

Visage smiles as that part of the mask was broken. Visage then pulls out a dagger ready to toss it into Slade's head. Visage tosses the dagger but Will grips the dagger quickly swiftly, rotates it, and then tosses the dagger straight into Visage's face. Visage screams as his mask shatters bouncing off the dagger. A scar appears on his one cheek. "My face! My beautiful face!"

Will pushes off the foot of Visage rolling to the side he watches Visage grab the mark. He screams loudly, and the mall begins to shake "No! Visage don't you dare!"

"Shut up! He ruined my beautiful face!"

"You know that once you allow IT to control you, that IT always controls you! Judge was the first and never turned back! Don't do it!"

Visage screams again and a black mist rips from under his skin. Visage is engulfed by the mist and Romeo pulls back away from him. Will watches in slight horror as standing there was this immensely huge monster with deep black flesh, a face with no nose but glass like eyes. The creature has disfiguring marks over its face, boils and hideous facial features. It shows a wide and terrible grin as Will stood up ready to fight. "You are kidding human."

Will rips off with strong punches to the monsters ribs but this large brute stood simply laughing to his attacks. Will then leaps into the air and kicks his one foot straight into the monsters face. Will feels the vice grip of the monster now on his leg now slamming him to the ground. Will screams now as he was swung into another wall, and then another as the monster keeps crushing Will under its power. Visage tossed Will to the ground watching with pleasure before noticing Will's bones and body heal again, "What the hell are you!" Visage roars as he kicks Will through the roof. Visage leaps then to the roof screaming "Why won't you just die already!"

Raven runs forward screaming "Will!" Raven flies onto the roof to find Will being backhanded to the side by Visage. "Azarath Metrion Zin…" Her face becomes red as a smell catches her nostrils. Romeo smiles as he stood behind her his body glowing a faint blue.

Visage grips Will in his arms, his head locked up Will is being faced to Raven who is looking at Romeo with a blank stare, "You won't die eh? How about I make you watch your girlfriend with Romeo! I'll bet that will make you beg for me to kill you!"

Will struggles to break free as Romeo grabs Raven's chin, "Come my dear taste my lips to yours, and feel my power pour into your very soul."

Raven tries to hold her body back but somehow she couldn't. The energy was forcing her body to act. "Will… I'm sorry…" She begins to feel the tears come down her cheeks. Romeo smirks as this happened "Not that many women can actually keep their minds off my presence. I have to admit your slender form will be quite pleasing!"

Will snarls as Raven is inched even closer to this man. "Let me go!" Visage chuckles a little over the snarling face of Will. His anger was growing and growing at the idea that filth was on his Raven. The thoughts began to burn in him, and soon his eye seems to burn with that same flame. The flame was then burning in greater flame, a flame of pure white form. Vanity chuckles until his eyes are wide with the burning pain in his chest. He had Will's back tightly held to his own chest.

The thing was that Will's back broke open with a strange white flame which burned Visage's arms off. Will turns back around and in a scream he punches his right fist to the monster's chest making the flame swirl from his punch over Visage's form. Visage screams as his chest explodes and the punch launches a flame through the chest and back out through Visage's back. Visage cracks up across the fleshy skin and in moments the monster blows into smaller bits.

Romeo was now caught off guard so when he turned to see what happened Raven screams "Zinthos!" covering Romeo in energy he's flung back over the roof into a vent-chute, then across to another chute, then into the edge of the mall. Raven turns to Will seeing his back glowing with strange white flames they seemed to look like wings. "Will? What is happening to you?"

Will turns to his back he was just as confused. He opens up his wings and flaps them a little "This is very strange."

"Strange?" Raven and Will turn to Romeo who pushes up on his one knee, a twisted smile on his face "You think THAT is strange!" Romeo stands up with his arms loosely at his sides, "This is strange!"

Romeo roars up to the air as his body rips and smoke covers him like Vanity. When the smoke towers up to the air it takes the form of a giant. Nine feet high this beast screams forth, its legs like a toad they bent under its larger upper body with its arms hanging with the knuckles scraping on the ground. The monster had a long nose with beady blue eyes.

Raven glares as her hands glow in black energy, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven's energy bolts flew up but in a snort Romeo flings up his two arms and tosses them back down making a shockwave that shook the roof making Raven falter and her attack wobbled. When the attack missed Romeo screams again and strange shadow like women ripped up from his chest, they then swirled on Raven who began flying as she attacks the women monsters. Will looks to his wings and tries to fly with them too. His wings flap and Will goes airborne now punching his fists through the shadow women too. They scratch at Will with sharp claws and fangs. Will finds the angrier he got the stronger his power would seem to get. Will screamed to strengthen his rage and flames poured out from his hands into the swirling monsters.

Raven flies through several of these monsters and towards Romeo. Romeo glares and his chest sends several monsters out towards Raven. Raven turns to the air making them follow her up and as she reaches high enough she turns back down firing her beams on each monster, ripping them to pieces. Raven stops short from the ground and flung her arms and legs far out, her body streamed out many blasts now tearing the monsters from Romeo. Romeo roars up and swings his fist on Raven knocking her straight back into the roof. Raven smashes through a wall and sort of bobs her head back and forth. Romeo grins his sharp fangs as he reached out for Raven. A white blur lands and covers Romeo's hand burning it to a cinder. Romeo growls loudly as his hand was gone. Will then charges his hands with the white flames and makes a white orb, "Burn you monster!"

Will pushes off the ball, but it rolls onto the ground. Will twitches thinking, 'I guess I need to work on these powers.' A large blackened hand swats Will back into the distance where he slowly pushes back up to his feet. Will looks back to have the stub of the one hand slam back down on him? Will's wings die out and the stub begins to slam more and more, harder and harder. As the stub comes down again Will rolls back over and raises his arms charging a pillar of flame that tore off the entire arm of Romeo.

Romeo screams as his arm was a smoldering stump. Romeo looks at will and screams with spit splattering over his face Will screams back too. Will runs towards Romeo and launches a punch as he jumps. Will comes close before being swatted down like a fly with the open palm of Romeo. The monster glares on Will now on the ground he's slowly twitching and moaning. Romeo growls raising its fist again, but a missile strikes the monster over the chest. Romeo looks on to the black clothed figure standing on the edge of the building with some strange rifle. He cocks the rifle and fires again, this missile does more damage making Romeo fall on its back. Will looks to the attacker and seems to see a person from his old past. The way he now stood with the one arm with the gun raised, the other cocked at his side, and the one leg perched higher than the other. It was a stance a man used to make in his days. "You?"

The man chuckles and points the gun on Will. He murmurs a 'Bang' and shifts the gun as if he shot it before jumping off the building. Will turns back to the still stunned Romeo, shifting onto its knees Will stands up tiredly charging his arms like before. Romeo smirks remembering the attack failed last time. Will charges the flames and fires the ball, but when it is still in the air he fires a blast of pure flame that rockets the ball straight into Romeo's face. Romeo's eyes widen to the horror of the ball now ripping to its long nose, and then tearing the monster apart from the top down.

Raven was waking up and saw Will with more injuries than ever before thought possible. Will was bleeding, he was broken, but somehow he still stood there and smiled. He smiled that he won, that Raven was safe, and that he was still alive. Will then felt faint and fell on his knees. His body falls hard and Raven floats over to see what was wrong. Raven grabs Will and watches his wounds healing, how can they do this? She shakes away the surprise and instead pulls him tightly as she flies to the tower.

* * *

In the mall many onlookers ask what is going on, what happened? Only the one man in black grabs a bag from a very expensive clothes store. He sees the dress, that girl that was with Deathstroke. He knew who she was, where to find her. Maybe he should go and see what it was like.

* * *

Preacher sat silent. He was before the council and they all seemed angry "I am… sorry."

"Don't be." The steam causes all the men to look. Judge curves his armored fingers and chuckles "I was the first to turn to our true soul selves after selling them to the shadows of sin. I will not be the last." Judge sprays steam again, "No, not with this man alive will I be the last."

Note: Ah, a nice long chapter. Was it good? Who knows the new character? I hope you like the way things will play out. Until the next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 9: Gifts from the Cruel

Note: I do not own Teen Titans, Deathstroke, DC and Marvel characters, nor do I own this taco… That's right, this taco. I do own The Brood, The Kagejin, and Akaige, also some other crap! I still do not own this taco. You will understand much later… or maybe never.

Raven was worried as she sat outside the medical center. Not for the wounds that had already healed but that power. What was it, where did it come from? How did he use it?

Robin and Starfire also were there, Star tried to explain all was well as Robin was wondering where all this leads to Joker. Beast Boy was not here he was actually kind of happy to see that Will guy was not so great, but he still didn't want Raven to see his pleasure. Raven now hears the door open and Cyborg motions her in. The others wanted to come but he ordered them to stay there. When she entered she found Will with his shirt missing, bandages were covered on his abdomen and wrapped along the one shoulder. "The bones are healing at a remarkable rate… he is actually." Cyborg looks to her and she was not really talking "There is a strange energy field around him that I can't seem to recognize. It's not magnetic, or anything scientifically explainable. I wanted to know if maybe you could find out what it is."

Raven rises her head to her friend "What do you mean?"

"You know the whole magic thing, and more important I have a feeling his mind may hold the key to…"

"I'm not going to intrude his mind! First, I could damage him and myself, and then the second reason I'm not going to betray his trust in me for that."

Cyborg sits down crossing his arms "I guess he's screwed either way, huh?"

Raven looks to Will then to Cyborg "He'll decide when he wakes up… he is going to wake up right?"

"Oh yeah he's just a little tired. No problems with that I'm sure."

* * *

Will floats in what seems nothingness. He floats, and floats. The sight of him with the wings, the flames, and the man in black filter in the world sometimes "Wow… tired…" he is then slapped and wakes as his head bangs off a wall of stone.

"…_Awake are we?"_ The three fingered claw reaches out in a gesture to rise Will up. "_You seemed to have trouble finalizing your mind to this realm. An interesting problem I do have to think of better ways to get mortals to this plane."_

Will stood up holding his head asking "What was that for?"

"…_."_ Akaige shifts his head "_To wake you up?"_

"Oh…" Will now looks around to realize they were in some kind of rock room with a throne. "What is this place?"

"_My throne room actually. I did not bring you here to see my décor Slade I wished to find out how you liked my gift."_

"Gift?" Will thinks back and nods "The flames?"

Akaige moans "_No the sweater last Christmas. Of course the flames how did you like the power it gave you?"_

"It was interesting but whatever the catch I don't want them. I know how demons or any creatures work."

Akaige turns shifting his shoulders with a little chuckle "_You don't trust me? You are a smart man after all. Those powers won't be so easily disposed of. You have to do something for me first."_ Slade narrows his eye asking "What?"

"_Why, nothing more than use those like you did today. You can't honestly expect to have the ability to kill demonic beings with staffs and explosives it goes beyond such things. The power you have actually works to assist in defeating those creatures."_

"So you want me to kill more of those things? What if I say no? Will you take these powers back then?"

Akaige turns up his head, Will notices the fact this creatures' face was free and exposed aside from a strand of fabric that floats over the head. The fabric hides the upper face like Raven sometimes, and the hair with ears seemed covered too. The nose and fangs, several wicked fangs curl in a pleasure all their own "_I can't take the power. It's not mine to give. You ever hear of Enchantment spells? They offer to enhance preexisting power or abilities. What I used was a special Enchantment that causes the flame of one's soul to manifest in the presence of demonic energy. However, it must have a trigger and like the soul one's emotions like rage and so forth cause the fires to grow to full aura."_ Will nods "Then why don't you remove the Enchantment?"

Akaige shakes his head still smiling "_Now why would I do that? I mean a waste of my time and what precious little time you may have left too."_

"What?" Will gets irritated, little time left? "What do you mean?"

"_Any spell has a kind of repercussion. For example, your Enchantment has the effect that it will keep rising the fire in your soul again and again. Eventually the flame will rise to a certain height of power and well…"_ Will is struck with realization as Akaige slaps him on the shoulder, "_Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust."_

Will gets a strong snarl and turns on Akaige "I'll use this power on you then!"

Will got angry, but nothing happened "_I made the spell so it can not be used against me, duh. Also, the spell will only settle off and return you to normal if you finish what was started."_

Will scream as he threw a punch "I'll use my bare…" Akaige's force launches Will onto a wall holding him there. Akaige steps up to Will saying "_Look, it's not like you have no choice. You could always not do this simple task of putting your life on the line and being ripped to shreds by horrid hell beasts and allow yourself to combust in a large flare of soul fire."_ Akaige hears the growling of Will and chuckles, "_Oh, well I guess you don't do you?"_

"Okay I'll do it. Of course I won't exactly like it."

"_I really didn't think you would Slade."_ Akaige whips his claw allowing Will to drop down. "_Now that you understand what's going on I guess there's no need for you to be here."_

"Wait! Why me? What do you need them dead for?"

"_Because you're the best at what you do Slade!" _Akaige pushes Will into a portal, "_That other question is nothing you need to be concerned with. After all, you need to worry over not having any sudden hot flashes any time soon!"

* * *

_

Will shoots up startling Cyborg. Cyborg was so surprised he prompted his cannon making Will kick up the arm having it miss-fire to the ceiling. With rubble flakes bopping Cyborg he coughs uneasily, "Sorry about that man. Sort of caught me off guard is all."

"Quite understandable. Where's Raven hiding?"

Cyborg looks up saying "Well, I convinced her to go get a little rest or something. She was stressing out from you way too much."

"I never intended on making her worry." Will sits up and grabs his shirt "Did she see me like this?"

"She brought you like this except you did have a shirt before." Slade shifts his coat to the side seeing all the damage "Okay you want to leave but wait and talk to…"

"I can't." Will stood up flexing his arms, his eye looks as he seems to sense a fire in him literally burning through his own veins "I know it's sudden but right now I must work on something. Can I use your phone?"

"Sure." Cyborg gives a phone to Slade before turning and trying to hail Raven with the intercom. "Wintergreen? I need you at Titans Tower yesterday. It's urgent." He listens, "No… I didn't do anything unusual… No that's not it either… She is fine too so stop…" Will sighs before hanging up "He needs to calm down."

Will steps out the door now noticing the titans all here, his stare fell on the eyes in a hood. "Why are you leaving so soon?"

"Because I choose to." Will walks past the teenagers making to the door. He notices the more annoyed stares but now was not the time. Raven however was not going to just let him leave. While the others stayed back and stare she follows after down the steps letting her cape flap over the steps. Will makes a sort of dash but the need and concern of her voice speaking his name strikes him hard, turning he finds her one hand on the banister and one foot ahead of the other. The face, though shrouded in the darkness still found so magnificence with her worry a contrast to the beauty shown through her eyes. Steps from the door Will merely stopped and now in his own defeat, he sighs to lean off his last foot to the exit so he could be there fully.

Raven was somewhat surprised he seemed more determined to leave than that. She did not realize the comfort her being gave him. How in all his life the world has been cold and dark and yet her own darkness acted as a fixture to allow some good, light to shine on him. The moment gave way to calm and Will offers a smile "My dear?"

"…." She was quite in the moment as she noticed his body gave to her fully. Instead of his own wish, he surrendered. This man of excellence and precision gave on his will for hers. It now struck her how humorous it could be he was Will, in form and definition he was not just a man called this but in truth, the essence of Will.

Will figures if he stayed it would complex things but in truth he did not want to leave "Rae I must leave but only for now. In time you will understand. Until then I will call you later to let you know everything is okay."

Raven is silent but her head nods. Somehow this was enough. "Please do."

Will shifts to the door and opens it; his eye was placid and calm. The view of a limousine made Raven pop her head up "Is that a limo?"

"Yes my butler is driving." Will steps out into the sky; he looks up noticing the blackness of the night and soon clouds. "It's going to rain tonight. I'll make sure not to stay out too long."

Wintergreen walks over to Will and offers a new jacket; Will sweeps it over his shoulders and nods "Thank you Wintergreen. Oh say hello to Raven."

Wintergreen has a slight smile "Raven, a pleasure to meet you finally."

"The…" She seems in awe with the limo and a butler "Pleasure is all mine."

The two prepare to leave and Raven watches them drive off. Turning around she closes the door to hear a knock. Raven was startled, but she guessed Will returned for something. Opening the door she finds a man in all black in a long brim hat. With a black scarf covering the lower face he seems more hidden than Raven, his eyes in darkness all that seems to peer into her startled face was the same darkness. "May I speak to Will?"

"Will just left."

The man stood there, he was motionless. Until he faults over smashing his head down and feet up, "D'oh!"

Raven jumps back from the sudden action, "Are you okay?"

"I missed him!" The man props up on his legs crouched over and holding a fist at his front tight enough to make it shake "Every freaking time I miss that one-eyed ragamuffin!"

Raven was a little confused but she sees the bag "That's my bag! You brought it here?"

"Huh?" The man looks to the bag and jumps up squealing, rushing over he flings out his arm like a boy scout doing a good deed, "Tee-hee! Here ya go little lady! The least I can do for my old pal Will."

"Thank you…" Raven reaches out and realized what he said "You're a friend of Will's?"

"Yep." Raven takes the bag and motions him to follow her, "We met after some big project he went into." The man lowers his head saying so only he could hear "Also after the one I was in."

* * *

The room is filled with screams, obscenities, and most important… laughter. The Preacher was knelt as he heard Joker swing his chair and then other un-nailed objects across the room. His mind in a blind rage Joker soon slows down taking heavy, heaving breaths. Preacher stands asking "Are you…" The Preacher raises his staff and a field blocks the boxing-glove on a spring. The Joker heaves more breaths before detaching the glove from his vest and straightening his hair "Okay, now I think I'm done."

Preacher nods and Joker sits into his little throne chair rubbing his chin "I expected things to get interesting with all the commotion that guy made with me. The fact he killed two of you guys, some of the best assassins in the world makes me wonder how that could be." The Joker pines out his smile to Preacher "Unless you guys are not so great after all. Which now makes me wonder why the hell," The Joker raises his gun firing "I'm paying you idiots?"

Preacher deflected the bullet with his powers, "I understand your rage."

"Oh you do, do you?" The Joker hops up and steps down several steps to the knelt Preacher "So what are we going to do about it?"

"The Brood will continue working for you until the matter has been settled. Also, the senior members will arrive with two more members soon. Not to mention all further dealings will be free of charge even the senior members who come. This is only a small way of apologizing for the mistakes of our former members."

The Joker nods and raises his head up going "Hm, that all seems like a good apology however…" The Joker latches his hands onto Preacher's scruff and pulls him into facial contact. With the green eyes mixing with a red type of color, hate bore from his snarling grin as he screams "I don't want apologies! I want freaking results!" The Joker tightened the hold choking Preacher before tossing him to the ground hard and painfully. Joker grabs his collar and straightens it letting a slight laugh go "My, my this matter does have me in a tiff. I do believe I need to let some steam out of my system. Get the boys we're heading off to do a little bank heist!"

* * *

Will stood at the side of a pond in the park. He simply was thinking on everything that's been going on in his life. "These new powers. If I didn't have them I could have…"

Will realized soon after his little trip that touching Raven could set off his new powers. They act on the trigger of demonic energy. Will figured it out that her demonic energy would trigger off his powers especially since it burns more around her, most likely from her demonic essence. When he stood here he figured he could have time to himself. The park was very nice, but soon it would rain. Looking up Will sighs a little thinking on the weather and yes even Raven.

"Now and again," Will's eye shifts over to the young man in a black coat who instantly Will recognize from the bathroom at the movies, "Men seem to look to the sky in search of answers. You have to admit that's not working is it?"

"I was trying to figure out the weather." He smiles a little as the man shrugs and looks to the water as well "So you came here to look at the waves over the water too?"

"Waves over the skin of the water, the breeze flowing over the limbs of the trees, things like that everyone should _try_ to enjoy at least now and again."

Will looks up to the sky once more "I'm not really in the mood to talk about spirituality."

"Then what about problems; or perhaps not problems but more concerns?"

Will narrows his eye to the waters "My problem is very complicated. I never should have allowed myself to fall in love."

"You think it's so easy? To just not do something like falling in love?" The man spits into the pond rippling the water "Tell you what since the day of love is coming so soon, February, I'll tell you my little love story and we'll see where it takes a man like you."

"Why the hell should I care?"

"You don't have to. I just find it's nice to get this thing off my chest near Valentine's day. A month or less away and I'm already feeling the effects of this damn holiday." The man shifts uneasily "So you want to hear or what?"

"Unless it starts raining."

"Alright let me fill you in on my little sad romance. Oh, and uh by the way," The man lets out his hand and shakes firmly with Will, "Nice to meet you again… Mr.?"

"Ah, Will, but my full name's Slade Wilson."

"Well than Will allow me to tell you my story…"

* * *

Raven stood in the shower letting the water stroll over her, breaths deep and hectic as her mind was now buzzing "Why did this have to happen?"

Earlier, Will's friend sat down and ate with the titans. They had normal conversations, Robin asked Star what she was doing with her hair as it seemed nicer than usual, Cyborg was bragging about his mad skills as Beast Boy corrected he had madder skills, while Raven was talking to their new friend about Will. "So you met him in a café? That's not too uncommon for him. He's always been a bit anti-social."

"I noticed, but so am I. It's why we get along so well."

"Hm," The stranger did not take his hat off he ate through the collar of his coat and over the scarf he pulled down to munch under it. "I can see that so have you ever been in a relationship before?"

"Yes," She seems to turn her head a little "I was in one before."

"Was it an older man?"

"I guess so."

"Your father, how is your relationship with him?"

At this point Robin has noticed the change in their guest's voice. It seems more playful, like the playful a cat becomes with a mouse. "I… I don't really get along with my father."

"I kind of expected that." The man sips a long bit of his drink, placing it down he pants and speaks up again "The psychological profile of girls who have relationships with older men have been found as those with poor father relationships. In a way they say those girls are trying to replace the role model in their lives with an older man sort of displacing affection, that's what they call it I believe."

Raven has her head tilted down thinking about it "I love him."

"Perhaps my dear." The man lifts up his glass "Just like he loved his _Ex-wife_."

The titans have silenced from the sound of Raven's fork clicking on her plate, "Ex-wife?"

"What?" The man slaps his cheek in 'stunned' awe "He never told you he was once married? Why, next you'll tell me he didn't tell you about the kids!"

The table cracks as did Raven's dully stunned eyes now cracking wide in more horror "Kids? He has kids?"

"E-gad! You mean he didn't tell you that either!" The man grabs his fork and shoveling in more he munches before saying "I guess that makes sense. I mean he is a deadbeat dad. He never takes them out or nothing from what I remember his wife just wanted away from him. He is a bit on the violent side anyway." He eats the last bit and motions his fork to Raven's plate, "Uh, you going to eat that?"

Raven's eyes had shaken up till now. "No…" The man grabs the plate and she scrambles to the bathroom crying fiercely. The lights all blew under her storming run and the man devours the meal before the table collapses, "Gee… she seems a bit emotional."

The titans look at the man with a large bit of anger. Robin pushes away his seat asking "Who the hell are you?"

"Like I said I'm an old friend of Will's, back when we called him Deathstroke."

Cyborg glares asking "When you say that, were you a friend or a nemesis?"

"Hm, I guess if you want to get technical," He glares his brow from the hood "I was a rival. He and I fought over contracts for some of the biggest criminals and others like that all our lives. He got the good jobs, I got the semi-good jobs, but in the end we never did get the one we wanted most." The man stands up and tugs his hat down a little "Well best be off. After this I can't wait to hear from the old-boy! I bet he's really pissed when he finds out Dead Man made his girlfriend bawl her poor little eyes out," He rubs his eyes in jest "Boo-hoo-hoo my boyfriend is a divorce."

Robin swings a punch but it never hit, the man seemed to just appear behind Robin and even the others were stopped in the speed, "Uh… a little more to the left maybe?" The man walks around Robin tapping his still startled shoulder "Relax kid these things happen. You just need a little more practice." The man opens the door and leaves. Robin simply blinks with his fist at his chest "I never saw him move."

"Neither did I and I have animal sight! He was as fast as… as…"

Robin's teeth grind as he hisses out "Slade…"

* * *

Will listens to the story for a while. From sixth grade up to eleventh this man had a girl that seemed obsessed with him. In sixth grade she talked to him trying to make him her friend, but if you couldn't tell he never made many friends with his colder attitude. She eventually told him about her emotional problems with her mother leaving her with an abusive grandfather. It was weird because most his life the boy didn't seem to get along with others but when this girl sat down and forced herself into his life he did seem to find some common ground. Even though he never talked about his life she seemed more than happy to have a person to just talk to without being afraid she might be turned in. Well, this lasted a while but eventually she wanted to be more than friends. He said no because he still didn't find himself too thrilled with people so when she disappeared he felt he was responsible. The truth is she told another boy trying to get back at him but the other boy instead told the counselor and so she was taken away. They were supposed to help her but the incident only made her more unstable.

Normally the story would end here, but by some weird twist of fate the two meet yet again. In ninth grade she reappears and the boy wasn't as anti-social as before. He still didn't get along with most people but now he was… dealing, with them batter. The girl and boy didn't even notice it was the same person from before so when they did talk it wasn't until she started telling him about the time she was with her grandparents and always feeling upset. The boy talked to her a lot like before, she mostly told him about her problems and he listened. Thanks to the 'help' she got she was now slightly suicidal and even had an eating disorder. She had some bad relationships with some guys from her previous school. The boy helped her out and soon they got sort of close, so much she even asked if he wanted to be her new boyfriend. This time he thought about it but somehow he came up with the idea that with everything that happened to her, with others and her family, that if something went wrong between them she might not deal with it too well. It wasn't like he didn't like the girl but he felt this was the better choice. It was too because she liked more having the guy around as her friend than a boyfriend.

For a while it was like an unusual bliss. The guy had no more problems with people; he even became nice to most. The girl became more confident and soon she became even popular, tried her chance at cheerleading, and she had almost everyone's ear. The boy was pretty popular too since half the damn people she knew also knew him, which annoyed him since people called him by his name but he had no clue who the hell they were, even less he cared. The girl often asked the boy who he liked, or if he was even thinking of dating but each time he merely brushed it off. It was only after she had a really bad break up with one guy that he did something stupid to ruin both their friendships. It was sad seeing her cry over this one because he was a real jerk from the get go. The mistake was seeing her like this made the guy finally lean over and grab her chin, when she looked at his eyes she had a sort of want in them that he maybe mistook and when he leaned in he kissed her. She seemed kind of stunned at the moment but when she realized what happened she stood up straight and got really excited. It seems that she didn't break up with her last boyfriend, but after the kiss she did officially dump him. Now the two were together, and it went really well. For so long the girl smiled like never before, and the guy even gave an occasional smile he didn't normally have.

The time came for him to meet her parents. She was so excited as was the boy, but he didn't have a clue what he was going into. Her parents adopted her a while back and seemed protective of her. They saw his black trench, slicked hair, and defiant stance and walk instantly making him into a 'punk' in their eyes. The mother even asked him if he was a drug peddler, he was not and took it as a joke but her parents meant it. A little after the date, the guy was told he was never allowed to date her anymore which began the real problems. The girl started dating again and the guy did get a little iffy about it. Mainly he didn't want to hear about how she felt about the new guy, at least not two days after they broke up. She did that a lot, after a break up she found a new boyfriend in under a week. He was not upset she found someone, he was even _slightly_ happy for her but you could at least give a guy some buffer room. She had him at her hip all the time, and at times she seemed to shove it in the guy's face how she had a new boyfriend. One of her friends said she liked making him jealous, but she soon pushed too far. She one day noticed all his friends moved to another table, she told the guy if he did the same they were not going to be friends anymore. They left because they hated seeing the guy being put right there seeing the girl with another guy. They knew he wasn't one to show emotion but he had tells, like when he was pleased and especially when he was miserable. The guy didn't leave her though, not at first. His friends kept telling him she was playing sick ass games that she was taking too much pleasure in seeing him get upset. He didn't believe them until finally she said it was nice to have such a loyal friend, like a good dog only better. This caught the guy, he was a dog? He was just some pet? Some form of freaking support for her own pleasure at will? The hell with that!

"So…" The guy tosses a stone watching it sink "The end result I stopped being her friend I loved her, and in a way it was probably her just trying to keep things from being too hard on her." The guy starts to leave "She once said I was the perfect guy because I could be one of the most understanding guys but I also had something around a mystery to me. Maybe my mystery was I never really told her about myself." The guy kicks another rock before pulling his coat closely "Maybe since I kept myself so far from her I also was not able to notice the truth. I spent all those years with her but never could I have seen her doing something like that to me."

Will looks from the guy and to the pond still rippling "It's a sad story but where does it help me?"

"Where does it not? Now since I made my mistakes I learned some things. Mostly I just learned one thing is trust you need some honest trust when you want to make a relationship."

"Oh well thanks for nothing." Will was turning to leave when the guy was up to him close "There was something else Will. A relationship is two things, wondrous and dangerous. You can love a person with all your heart but if they don't love you it's not beyond love to turn to hate. When a person thinks you are perfect, you are everything, the moment you prove them wrong is the moment they hate you." The sky now begins to let drips of water free, "Glass turns brittle in the rain. Love, turns brittle when weathering storms. If you're not careful like glass it will break and become jagged. If you hurt her she will most likely hurt you back." The guy begins leaving but he looks up "Actually, I often wonder if she ever truly loved me would she be so easy to hate me for failing her? I really wish I understood this mess more. Maybe your girl won't hurt you like mine did Will. Maybe you'll get a happy ending that I never was able to get."

Will watched the guy leaving with the rain falling slowly, "Who are you?"

The guy merely looks overt his shoulder, "I often go by the name Pakkrat. I hope you like my story it all was very true."

Will feels the water now beating down harder, "Hey!" Pakk turns around and Will nods "Thank you."

"Anytime. I actually enjoy talking about it. It reminds me I'm still human because usually after that ordeal," Pakkrat walks into the darkness of the falling rain "I have trouble remembering that."

Will looks back to the water before turning to the man that left "I guess we all have trouble in love someday. But luckily my luck seems to be changing."

* * *

Robin slams his fist down as Beast Boy says 'I told you so' for the fifth time "You have to do me one favor shut up!"

"What? I told you the guy was no good!"

"I do not understand why friend Will would not inform us of previous mates as well as his offspring!"

"Because the guy is a low down, rotten," Cyborg slaps Beast Boy speaking up "He has his reasons like anyone else. The thing really bugs me is can we trust the guy who came here and told us all this stuff?"

"Yeah he didn't seem the most trustable person. The only reason he even got in was he said he knew Will and he brought Raven's dress."

Cyborg has the bag looking it over "Nothing odd here either so he's not one of our villains in disguise."

"Could he be Will's? Will was a vigilante at one time in his life." Robin thinks about this idea "If so we best keep an eye on him. He only seemed interested in seeing Raven."

The alarm goes off Cyborg looks at his arm and snaps out "Another Bank heist Robin. This seems like a no-deal job you want us to get Raven?"

"No Raven is too emotional. This news, I think she needs a bit of time alone. I'll take Star with me to see what's happening you stay here with Beast Boy and watch over Raven."

* * *

"Oh how glorious it is seeing the fear upon your own misfortunate hostages?" Several men and women look up to the pale faced villain who gloats over their own capture. Joker was pleased with this heist though it seemed a bit tacky. Joker never did something only half way he would make it much more fun later. His long cane with the laughing golden head of his own visage made the men move more in each clack. The second one man began stuffing his pockets with dollar bills Joker snarls slapping his cane over the man's back "What the hell are you doing?"

"I was stocking up on money! You know, the idea was…" another slap the man hits the ground "I know the plan I am the plan!"

Joker kicks the man and screams "Listen here you idiots! I want only that which dignifies me! I want pearls, as in pearly whites; I want diamonds, as in sparkling gems; I even want silver and gold, as in a silver smile and golden grin. I don't want greenbacks because," The Joker pulls the man up and shoves the dollar bills down the man's throat, stuffing deep the man begins choking and eventually as Joker shoves more bills down the man gags and falls over pulling out the bucks to breathe. "It is too much like spinach always getting stuck between your teeth." The Joker twirls and smiles "Really nasty stuff isn't it?"

Joker now notices a flier and pulls it off. His grin grew widely "Well hello, look what we have here!" Joker snaps his staff on the ground "Okay I think we're done here! Put these blokes into the vault."

"Sir why the vault?"

"Oh because," He holds a yellow container with the words 'Smilex' on the cover "After all I hate to leave anywhere without a smile."

* * *

Will was noticing the rain now falling fairly hard. He sighs and returns to the limo outside the park waiting. Sitting in the back he thinks about Raven, "I should call her."

Picking up the phone he calls her now knowing her number. She does not answer instead it was Beast Boy. "Well, well, if it isn't good old Will. How you been buddy?"

"You seem unusually happy with yourself. So where is Raven?"

"Oh she's been in the bathroom taking a bath, that and crying."

"Crying? Why is she crying?"

"Oh just the fact a certain someone never told her about his wife and kids. Tell me Will why did you forget to mention that to us?"

Will seems to get a slight growl, 'Who the hell told them that? I wasn't ready for her to know just yet!' "Who told you that?"

"Ah-ha! So you don't deny it! Luckily a guy in black came by saying he was your friend and he let us in on the whole thing!"

Will was confused but when his mind remembers he is gawking "Dead Man?"

"…." Beast Boy blinks "Are you threatening me?"

"No! The man, it was Dead Man! He's here, and if he saw Raven then…" The line goes dead. Beast Boy flicks his ears since the name Dead Man never bodes well "I have a feeling this is going to get worse."

Will tries to dial again, "I'm sorry, this line has been disconnected."

Will slams his phone down screaming an obscenity, now he opens the window to Wintergreen "Is my suit here?"

"The formal or… other?"

Will lays back into his limo letting a cast of the moonlit storm cover him in darkness "Which do you think Wintergreen?"

* * *

Robin enters the bank and notices the ransacking "This looks bad they left already whoever it was." He looks seeing the dollar bills all over the floor. Starfire asks with confusion "Why leave such quantities of money on the ground? They do not seem very logical if truly criminals."

"No!" Robin runs over to the vault and opens a panel to see the air consul was rigged with a Smilex canister "Damn it! He was here!"

"Robin! Do not use such…" She is handed a gun from Robin's belt, it was a vial gun with some strange liquid inside "This is batch number 13, Joker's little fun luck charm in Smilex. He knows I only carry so much in the anti-serum!" Robin offers a mask as well "Put this on Star! When it's open you have to inoculate any survivors and try to only go for the older members, younger people…" He puts the mask on shallowing his eyes "The younger generation can't handle the toxins and normally die soon after exposure."

"I can not ignore children!"

"Do it! That's an order! It's a waste of serum if we don't!" Robin readies to open the door "Now get ready."

Starfire holds up the gun as the door opens, she hears laughter from inside the vault unlike what she ever knew. It echoes out and Starfire grimaces as the first person falls out with the smile and tears, a man in his mid thirties. She notices Robin now readying his own device, "Starfire! Get to work! Every second counts!"

Starfire uses the device and the man slowly goes silent sleeping in some time. The two enter the vault and in hours they would finish saving lives, but also excluding others.

* * *

"So he was called 'Dead Man'? Sounds like he might just be an old enemy of Will's."

"Still doesn't mean he's not a good guy. For all we know Will is the real villain."

"You saw him save Raven and fight The Joker! Why are you busting the guy's chops?"

"Because! He fought Joker to save himself, as for Raven he may be trying to use her like Mal…"

"Don't even go there yo!" Cyborg places a finger in Beast Boy's face "I admit Will is a bit creepy but we need to give him a chance. You of all people know what it's like to lose someone B.B. think how bad it would be if it happened to Raven twice!"

Beast Boy shies his eyes and ears down, "Yeah, I understand."

"Good now let's go find Raven and see if she needs any words of encouragement." Cyborg cracks his knuckles "I mean encouragement too B.B.!"

* * *

The silhouette of Raven was within the glass wall steam rolling over the frame of her slender form. The door opens letting the man in black to enter glaring his hat on the girl in the bath. Making slow and silent steps forward he raises a small pistol with a silencer towards the glass. With that moment he readies to squeeze the trigger when he hears "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The gun breaks to pieces, and the silhouette disappears as a simple hallucination. Next he is flung through the door and into the hall where he lays on his back still. Raven steps out with her body wrapped in a towel tightly. Glaring her eyes glow replacing her towel with the leotard and hood, "Who are you really?"

Dead Man leaps up catching her off guard, he swings around her and latched his one arm around her neck the other over her waist "They call me Dead Man." A blue blast smacks the Dead Man off Raven and to another wall. Cyborg closes his cannon and asks "That's what you're going to be you ever touch Raven like that again!"

Dead Man stands up cracking his body and neck in a fashion only known to be Slade's "Aw, is that so? I must say so cute of you to think you can kill me." Dead Man makes a mad dash to the roof where the three titans begin following "So we can rule out him being one of the good guys."

"No duh! Why does he remind me of Slade?"

Raven snarls "Maybe it's his apprentice! Maybe their trying to break me and Will up and all those things he said were lies!" They break to the roof where the rain falls like mad. It makes the roof so wet and slick that seeing Dead Man with only the balm of his foot holding him up on an antenna confused the teenagers. "I was an apprentice in the fact I idolized the man you call Slade. I do not work with him anymore; he thought I was a bit too psychotic even for his tastes. As for what I said Will is all the things I said for him, Slade, and I all are very closely knitted together." Dead Man raises his head "Now let's see. I got you up here for a reason…" He slams his hands together "Oh now I remember! I brought you all here to kill you!"

"Easier said than done pal!" Beast Boy runs over turning to a wolf to lunge up attacking. Dead Man leaps off the spot and knees the lunging wolf while mid-air; even as the wolf was reacting Dead Man clasps another hand on its back scruff pulling it off while taking the one free palm to slam that into the wolf's side face. When on the ground Beast Boy lay still with a slight twitch spasm, Dead Man stands tall to step his one foot up and kick the wounded hound to the side with a whimper. "Seems as easily said and done."

The next thing Cyborg opens fire with his cannon but the Dead Man leaps over the blast to now run past and under each incoming beam. Raven flew into the air and ripped pieces from the tower trying to trip this enemy but he used them as vaults, hopping from them each like hopping stones until reaching Cyborg. Cyborg closes the cannons; in hand to hand he finds this enemy too fast to hit as he would duck and leap past any strong punch countering with slight flips of his fingers over Cyborg's body. Cyborg screams to try and fire but when he does the whole arm breaks off in sparks, his body goes numb and Cyborg falls on one knee.

Dead Man looks up to see Raven startled as Cyborg was trying to rebuild his broken arm. "How did you do that?"

"You think that was something?" Dead Man pulls out from his coat two semi-automatics and raises them up "Like shooting Raven's in a barrel!" he lets long sprays of auto-fire which Raven deflects with her shields. Dead Man strafes off behind some protruding vent shaft to grab out from his jacket to toss something after twisting it. Raven grabs the object in her powers but it flashes a bright light. Her eyes are dazed so when Dead Man starts firing again Raven was unable to block. She did raise her shields but some bullets did pass and her one left shoulder got hit. The impact caused her to loose concentration so falling from the sky she smashes hard on the ground.

Dead Man walks over with one gun on his shoulder vertically "This was a little bit too easy kids. I thought people who could slow down Slade would prove more challenge than this."

A blue beam hits the one gun at Dead Man's side, he turns having the other struck out as he pointed it. Cyborg fires a third beam hitting Dead Man across the roof some distance before soon standing and going to investigate "Cyborg! Don't do it!"

"Relax Rae! I used a full blast that would knock anyone cold for a while."

Cyborg looked to Raven and gave a smile, turning around he was not smiling as Dead Man was gone "Wh…" his eyes widen with a sickening sound of metal scraping metal, he screams grabbing his abdomen where oil leaks from a straight cut. Dead Man skids to a halt with a long shining blade dripping in crude oil. It was a katana sword; a strange wavy design separates the back and blade with a hilt of black leather crested with golden emblems. Dead Man stands up letting his sword lay at his side slightly, a breath of relaxation matches the strike of lightning behind him while Cyborg hunches on his side opening his cannon to fire. Dead Man stood still turning his face to Cyborg before another flash and he was gone. Cyborg twitches as he has a arm grasping over his neck pulling him up, and from behind the breath speaks into his ears "I'm not anyone boy. I'm the Dead Man." A surge in Cyborg's face showing pain as his chest spurts in the center, a blade exits straight through his chest making Cyborg release a long scream. The scream ends and Cyborg falls on his knees, now the blade exits before Dead Man pushes Cyborg out of his way. Cyborg fell and his hand reaches up to try and grab the coat of Dead Man to pull him away from the path he makes towards Raven but his body and mechanics grew weak. The hand falls with a loud slap on the watery rooftop and the red eye dies now only letting the human eye watch helpless as Raven crawls on her back from the now stalking Dead Man.

Raven stops a moment and turns to where the guns are. She raises a hand and calls the gun to her hand pointing it up at Dead Man he merely keeps strolling to her. "I'll shoot! Stop or I'll shoot!"

"Do it." He merely says it like nothingness. There was no emotion or response just an order. She holds the gun shakily as rain now begins to blur her eyes. Pulling the trigger bullets fly and riddle the Dead Man's form all over making holes and points where his outfit blew off. Shaking in the bullets he falls on his knees, and then to the front he drops letting Raven stop shooting and drop the gun to the ground. Raven lets her head drop taking a breath before hearing some kind of laughter. Turning up slowly she sees the body of black pushing up and standing on one knee before asking "Did you think a Dead Man was that easy to kill? It is much more difficult than simply a couple bullets in the torso."

Raven screams flinging her powers as claws but Dead Man grabs the claws with his hands to push against them on his heels. Raven strains with her one arm as the shoulder was bleeding but she screams to try one more push. Dead Man swings out his arms in a flexing press, she screams and her energy claws snap so he can rush in and press his one foot into her throat. Pressing her down he holds the blade to her nose "I am the one who will end his suffering Raven. His soul like mine will forever wander unless it is ceased. Only I can cease his wandering as only he can cease mine."

The blade glistens as trailing rain drips on her nose. Raven shook from the blade so close to her face but the voice screaming "If you don't back off of her you're going to be a real Dead Man!"

Dead Man retracts the blade and turns to the end of the tower before one twist of his foot knocks Raven cold "Slade I was wondering if I would ever get to see you." Slade stood with his arms behind his back a single eye staring down through the rain. Slade made a slight stroll towards Dead Man asking "Have you been in town long looking for me or Deathstroke?"

"I guess you could say I was looking for you both." He chuckles "Poor kids have no idea do they?"

"No, but that's not a concern for you. Now that you found me it's time we finish things."

"Why not?" Dead Man holds up his sword as Slade does the same with his own. With a sudden flash of lightning Slade screams while charging to clash blades with Dead Man. The two clash blades in a strike of thunder and lightning, the water splashes over their bodies emphasizing their muscles bearing on one another's might. Pushing off Slade stabs forward only having his sword clacked away, Dead Man tries a swipe but Slade blocks to duck under and split them apart with distance. The two held different stances, Dead Man a more eastern manner as Slade had a western type fencing manner.

"I always knew it was with us Slade. We will end each other's wandering. Only I can give you eternal rest," Dead Man screams in a charge, "As well you me!"

The two now spark blades across the tower's top, Slade and Dead Man pass one another, tangle a moment with flurries of the blades, than pass with another dash and slash. A few rounds of this and the two slow down to show bleeding arms and legs nothing serious as their bodies seemed to heal soon after each attack. Dead Man pulls out his gun and fires but Slade dodges pulling from his punches strange disks. The disks break Dead Man's gun, he now turns to his sword again this time making dotting stabs. Slade pulls back and deflects the stabbing attacks before sheathing the sword and calling out his staff. Bouncing the sword up Slade swings the staff's one end down pointing it on the enemy he twists a staff's end to make a barrel on the other end, and a handle. Slade pulls he handle and it fires on Dead Man.

Dead Man had sprung back trying to go flat but the bullet hits his hat causing it to fall and skid on the roof. Dead Man rolls on his back to his feet to stretch the blade out with his right arm. Slade saw his opponent and narrows his eye "So you're just as ugly as ever Deadpool."

Dead Man glares with his colorless eyes "You son of a… I don't go by that name anymore and you know it!" His eyes were dead in pigmentation but he could still see. The bald head was with marks over his skin where his skin seems scarred. The many marks seemed like those of Freddy Krueger, exactly as disfigured only as he removed the scarf his teeth were perfectly formed. "I'm the Dead Man, Slade. You know that I can't die until you kill me, and I won't die until I kill you!"

The two run at each other now sparking weapons, but Slade kicks away the one sword just as Dead Man kicked away his. The two now go hand to hand with palm strikes and punches. Their own speed was inhuman, their reaction time a marvel as each knew the other's attacks too soon. Slade makes a palm strike but Dead Man does a roll and kicks up his one foot. Slade stammers and has no time to react to the roll and leap kick to his own jaw. Slade sprawls on his back as Dead Man falls on his two feet. "That was a bit surprising." Dead Man runs over and kicks the scrambling Slade in the sides making him roll across the tower trailing water with his form. Dead Man walks slowly as a flash of lightning hides his sudden rush now kicking Slade again to the edge of the tower's roof. Dead Man chuckles before hearing something, "What happened here?"

Dead Man turns with Slade towards Robin and Starfire now coming. Dead Man sighs before kicking off one foot high up and to the ground he kicks the hat into one hand "I guess I can wait a little longer. What's another day or two compared to the time we've been mortal enemies?" Slade glares as Dead Man puts on his hat and trails the brim of his hat with one hand "Don't think next time I'll let you just leave so easily."

Dead Man runs off the edge and dives into the waters below leaving Slade to stare into the waters going mad with the rain. If it was a normal man he would have died and probably drowned. However, this was the Dead Man and he just complicated his life once more. Slade notices the sound of Robin and Starfire now at his back. He turns to see their stances "Help your friends Robin because this has truly become more difficult." He tosses smoke screens and escapes. Robin shakes away the smoke and finds his friends in danger "Starfire let's get them to the medical lab. We need some answers on what just happened."

Note: New chapter, more twists and a great new villain. That one segment earlier was a true story… not sure if I even should put it in just because I hate being bugged about how stupid I was. I really let myself be a tool but hey what you going to do? Deadpool is often a hero, but he's also a villain so in this story I use him as a villain. He makes a much more interesting villain for a Slade story. What do you all think? Until next time keep reading you all!


	10. Chapter 10

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 10: Gone to the Grave

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Marvel. My accredited material lays in the Kagejin and in point Akaige. The rest is for the entertainment value, have fun. The point to the next two chapters is to reveal some of the "history" of Slade. I'm making it up now, but also keeping true to the fact he was a super soldier and starting his relationship with someone from the Worth family. Also introducing the biggest rival in the 'Mercenary Super Soldier Mayhem' I came up with, where Slade will meet many mercenaries who have a great deal in common to him, and one super killer later.

What did I ever do to deserve this life? Ever since I could remember I've had to fight, kill, and strive to survive. I lost my one eye for this, my first love, any true grip of reality, now I'm close to loosing the second chance of regaining a resemblance of life. I call her Raven, and she might just be the last chance I have left… damn it.

Well no reason crawling in his sorrow now. Slade had too much to prioritize at the moment over his own sadness, or the safety of tomorrow. Looking into the vanity mirror on top of his dresser within his dark, gloomy room he saw the reflection of a man slowly loosing his mind, he saw himself. Slade now left the mirror and pull off the covers of his bed. Sleep that could perhaps give him the one thing he needs. Were those important? Slade's own needs had an importance to all that came to be? Damn, stop thinking Will and just… no, you're Slade. Stop thinking you're her Will, that you know what's best for her. "Wait… I'm arguing with my damn self!"

Slade flopped hard onto his bed letting this finally sink into his skull, "I'm going to kill myself with madness if this keeps up." Slade slowly gave his hand reaching to the ceiling where the fan spins slowly in a circle spreading some motion to the otherwise derelict room. He has a faint smile as his one dead, gone eye seems to tap a memory. It trails from the eye to the mind, and the name, the one name flew in his brain as sparse images, "Jack…"

* * *

In the military research base several men in fatigues were mixing it up with talk and banter, one solitary man in his uniform sat on his bunk with a set of boots he tried shining. This man, the young man once called... "Um, are you Mr. Slade Wilson?"

"Whatever." Slade peered two chilling eyes on the young blonde haired man with slightly wavy hair. Slade also had blonde hair and a fitting beard on the tip of his chin. "You want something soldier?"

"Yes… well, not really…" The younger soldier had to be nearly soiling himself with joy in the presence of Slade. Eventually Slade returned to his boots and the soldier coughs, ignored the soldier coughs again. "You should check about that cold of yours."

"It… It's not a cold." Slade rolled his eyes before admitting "I knew that kid so what you wanted to see the star-spangled hero? I'm not some hero kid just a very good…" Slade placed his boots under his bunk "Killer." Slade sprawls on his mattress before the young man shied his eyes away. "Hey, what is your name kid?"

The young man has beamed with joy, "Jack, call me Jack sir!"

Slade had pondered on this simple little name time and time again, now though the name has some major importance. Back in the day this young name meant nothing. That was until the day Jack became… Wade.

* * *

"Cyborg…" Raven who never was known to have such an angry tone projected her rage with the breaking of a monitor. "How in the hell can you expect me to believe what you're telling me?"

"I'm just…" The sound of the door opening and Robin, Starfire, and Beast Boy gave him another set of problems, "If you're here for the results guys you have to calm her down first!"

Raven lowered her glare for the brisk moment to calm herself "I'm sorry, but how can you expect me to believe he wasn't trying to kill me?"

The titans have completely given the stunned/awe mode with Cyborg. "Hey it's true! The silencer pistol had nothing but tranquilizers, and when I shot him off you from the hallway he only had a syringe he dropped after I got him off you. That means he would have only sedated you and took you not kill you."

"Wow! I feel so much better!" Raven who forgot her injuries was quickly reminded with her shoulder quaking, buckling on her knees Raven quickly regained herself when the others tried to hurry at her side. Injury or not Raven is still a strong willed and minded person, the thing her friends often seem to forget. "Never mind that, I can't understand how you can say a man that tried to kill me was in fact trying to only kidnap me."

"It is kind of confusing but try and think about it like this. The guy was fast, strong, and definitely skilled enough to take us down. The way he slapped Beast Boy around was more than enough proof. If he wanted he could have smoked Beast Boy right off the bat."

"Thanks for the broadcast to the world Cyborg." Cyborg gives an uneasy laugh to Beast Boy who was flaring nostrils in his own stare. Robin gave them the look to knock it off so they did. He returns to Cyborg adding "When we did maintenance on Cyborg it was obvious this guy knew the perfect way to detach Cyborg in pieces. When that came to our attention even I have to admit with his sword one false move could have killed Cyborg but instead the guy chose to only shut down the mechanics enough to leave him immobile."

Raven really lost her patience with their words even if no matter what they were being honest. "Then the sword to my head?"

Starfire floats over to Raven who was looking out the large window. With the one smile worth a thousand suns her attempt to brighten her friend was pointless. Raven only looked out as rain streaked over the glass window while Starfire gave a look to the boys they knew that means time to get out. Her kind smile returned to the darker friend "If friend Will is in danger from either this Dead Man, or Slade than we shall be prepared to assist in all ways we are capable of committing."

Raven gave her little weak smile before shaking her head "Thanks Star for trying to help me but their right. Too many strange things are happening now I need to know, who is Will?"

Starfire hugs Raven tightly "Please friend, get some rest the time has come for revitalization!"

Raven pulls from the death grip and swings herself out the door "Whatever, just don't you hug me!"

Star in her bliss floated away to leave the three boys kind of confused "How can girls get so far with their emotions?"

"Don't know. When's the last time we had a conversation that lead somewhere?"

Robin thought before a sly grin, "The last time we talked about women?"

"Booyah!"

* * *

Slade could roll and toss for hours but damn, not a thing would change the fact he was restless. Slade screams with frustration before tossing his sheets off. In a loose shirt and shorts Slade stood to now move out to the dresser. His eye began looking around the dresser top where he finally noticed something of his memories…

* * *

Time passed in the base where each group could show excellent ascension over the ranks. Slade was the highest of the group, behind him was slowly following Jack Bailson but when I say slowly, I mean behind the others in the program. Slade even if he made a kinship with this man it does not act as the enhancer for young Jack's skill. With their current test under live fire each man must pass the course while covering behind anything in the current area, area is a replica of some wooden outpost where several buildings were burnt down or blown away. The entire replica was within a secret part of the base so no intrusion here, all data. Jack found himself pinned behind some half-destroyed building while his peers were following up in the program. Slade had made his way through to the finish to look back at the man still trapped, 'Damn, he's stuck again!' His eye trails to the target and now to Jack, 'I…' Slade flew out from the target area 'Can't believe this!'

When Jack realized what happened his eyes seemed ashamed, so in his mind he did what he had to do pointing a gun towards Slade making his friend stop wide eyed. Slade, noticing another cadet was coming on his tail decided to finish the program. When Slade returned Jack left his little safe-house and began firing on the drones. These drones were bullet-proof but cover fire did confuse these things. When passed Slade stood and watched his little friend move through the field. In the end, Jack passed the program as was expected worst time and most ammunition fired. Slade was the best time and least ammo wasted. Jack kind of gave a smile to Slade who with his arms crossed only gave him a look before the doors opened.

When they left their supposed to do whatever they want, in the idea they stay inside the facility. However, this time the guards block off the halls "The Commander wishes to see everyone inside the main classroom". Seated along the many spots were several rolling chairs with desks the soldiers sit in their respective seats filing around to see the empty podium ahead. Jack sat looking a little sad; Slade offers a word "You're a moron."

"Excuse me?"

"I could have saved you and still gained a high score for both of us."

"I didn't want that…" Jack gave a little look to his desk "I know, you can do that stuff but where does it leave me? I can't do a damn thing as it is…"

"Don't start this again Jack. You will learn how to get things down but you need to train more. You want me to train you?"

Jack has a slight surge of pride "You really will?"

"Consider yourself my…" Slade looks for a word; it hits him nicely as "apprentice."

The podium soon has silenced the men while one man in a long brown coat entered giving a daring charge to the ones here. This man gave his stare to almost every man but eventually he did settle to the rows with his words, "At ease ladies."

After the ice was broke, he started moving with his agenda. This man was slightly aged with wrinkles and hairs white from the winters he lived. Though he was old he still was vibrant, and he lived his life now training the men he was proud to call brothers. His points struck many highs and lows, but one thing is in his mind set for only one of the men here… that was later. "To show you all how well you've done we arranged some special leave. Today, you all get a chance to leave this little hell-away-from-humanity to go rub shoulders with the people. The town not too far from here is having a little event that we feel you all deserve the chance to be a part of. This town has never seen a party like it will tonight because soon, we have the final test and that test may be… your last." The men get a chill the Commander never had such a cryptic look on his face. "That is all go and get stink-faced."

This took no time to allow the soldiers to begin filing out to their bunks. The party sensation of the world and they had to be part of it! Slade though he gave no change in that ongoing self. Jack did have excitement in his smile but Slade did not change, "Are you not going Slade?"

"I have training and so, do you."

"What?" Jack saw Slade's face and he frowns "I see…"

"Tomorrow." Jack is baffled, "WE train tomorrow; tonight I'm getting myself a little R&R."

"Alright, yes!"

The next thing they know the Commander is in their path. "Sorry Slade but I need to talk to you. I promise that I will give you the R&R you need but tonight… something came up."

* * *

Slade still was shuffling his mind's eye with the item he twiddled in his hands. The item that spurned Slade's memories was a single cigar. The man who gave him this cigar was none other than the WWII hero spy, Nicholas Joseph Fury, or today Nick Fury.

Slade was also remembering the way it set into motion the events that lead to today and the way it influenced Slade and Jack's paths and lives. If it had not came to be it would have been because the draw of the meeting with Mr. Fury. If Slade never met Nick Fury he may have never became Deathstroke.

* * *

A plane that recently left the New York area slowly moves over the skies towards a city called Jump City. One man was huge in size, bulging from his jeans and T-shirt he gorges on some airline food. His other partners, a man in all black with a stone like glare ignored the obese man while a flight attendant tries to keep the larger man fed. The large man pulls from her hand some more food and she pulls back. The other man, his cold green eyes glare on her and she is frightened so badly she runs to the others in the plane. The large man noticed and he slaps his partner, "Gullet not like Covet scare food lady!"

"I don't care." Covet has his eyes turn to the fat man his short buzz-cut green hairs had no change of his face. "Is he sleeping yet?"

Gullet moves his bulbous head and noticed their other friend tightly wrapped in cloths, his form is hidden but the outline of a man is inside many sheets while he slumbers, "Dreamweaver is sleeping, Gullet is hungry still."

Covet has now given a look to the attendant, "Feed this idiot so I can get some relaxation."

She was frightened but the large man was sure much nicer about it, "Please feed Gullet? Gullet loves to eat!"

"Um… okay." She pulled a large cart full of food which Gullet screams before flopping on the morsels eating them with no regard. Covet pulls his face away as the woman has fainted from sheer shock.

* * *

Slade was in the office meeting with Nick Fury, or rather the back of Nick who was in the swivel chair looking through papers with his back to both Slade and the commander. "Huh, looks like you're good Slade. Not once have you failed the programs, nor did you come any lower than first. You're proving to be a real spectacle. Not a time you thought of dropping from the program even if these pricks never tell you what they have planned for your sorry butt."

Slade is confused but Nick turns his face slightly back to Slade, the strong eye of a man who had both a good mind and soul smiled to Slade. "Hey I'm just making some banter talk. Here," Nick pulls a cigar from his little cigarette holder and tosses it to Slade "have a cigar."

Slade snatched the cigar and gave it no mind before putting it in his pocket. "Thanks but I don't smoke cigars."

Nick turns in the chair and Slade is startled to see Nick Fury had only one eye, the other is behind a black eye-patch. "You're…"

"I'm impressed a guy like you doesn't smoke! Hey, keep that cigar who knows when a day will come you want a cigar."

Slade did not really think about this however Nick certainly made himself home by flopping his boots onto the desk "Listen pal, the reason I am here is because I have a mission I can't take. I hate to say this but this one will need someone more on the young side. You passed several stealth missions I can't seem to pass. Your mission is of the utmost importance." Slade now interested sat down in a chair to hear more "You ever hear of Umbrella? The company has some major ties and war wise they produced some amazing weapons. Recently one of their facilities had an accident and we want to know what before they get there. You just have to get to the facility, sneak inside however you can, find out what the place was for, and in the end get out with the information. Can you do it?" Nick has taken a drag of his cigar as Slade seemed to think it over, exhaling he asks "Well?"

Slade has never been one to back away from a challenge but he has never really had this level of mission. Some spy work perhaps, but Lone Wolf? Those suckers not only get the worst circumstances but hell what Intel does he have? "What was being worked on at this facility?"

"We believe a new type of weapon but we're not sure what it is. If you take this mission I promise you one thing you will be the highest choice for this programs elite division which previously, you were told only one member will be selected for the elite division of the program."

Slade gave some concern, "May I think this over sir?" Nick is getting a little upset "Yeah I guess I did drop some shit on you huh? I can give you some time to think it over since I'm taking you from you leave anyway." Nick stands up and walks past Slade but he stops and says, "I heard you and the guy Jack are close." Slade has lost his composure looking slightly startled with Nick. "You know he's only here by a thread right now. The only reason we accepted him with his low rating was the fact he's suffering from a terminal skin disease." Slade has completely been shocked "The program is interested in seeing how a man with a disease will take to the program. Even if that's the case his tests are really showing little to no improvement and if that keep up even that quality won't stand up. However, something like you help could always work to help him stay a little longer maybe even long enough to train him and get him up to speed."

Slade has given a full distaste to this former hero, "Blackmail?"

"I hate it kid… but you're the best I can send. The higher ups won't let me go I already tried. The mission is risky but we need someone talented but also expendable. If you fail or succeed I promise I'll give this Jack guy the utmost chance… think about it."

"I don't have to think sir… where do I go?"

* * *

With her head lightly nuzzled to the pillow Raven was wide-eyed in her questioning 'What is happening to me?'

For as long Raven can remember her life was a tough one. Youth, the ongoing training and never ending dread of her blood, adulthood would only get worse she's sure of it. With her mind wandering to one point of another she only could realize one thing. "I have poor judge of character," She rolled under her covers with slight tears forming in her eyes, "especially men."

The sound of tapping on her door and Raven pushes off her covers to remove her tears as she asked "Whose there?"

She was confused as there is no answer. Raven opens the door and standing there is the green changeling Beast Boy. He has his ears drooped and eyes shunning from her "Raven… I thought about everything. I want you to know I'm sorry I gave Will such a hard time."

Raven shook her head adding "You were probably right now."

"No, I mean… maybe…" His head shook and he gave the smile of all smiles "Hey, when everyone gave up on Terra I still believed. We all know it has to be tough you meet somebody, an older guy of all things so trusting him is a weird and hard thing. In the end you just have to keep faith, keep on seeing what is true and what's not. If you believe I'm sure…" to this point Beast Boy noticed the tears in her eyes "uh… you'll find out what you need to know."

Raven has never really expected this from Beast Boy. Well, at times he went out of the way to help her. She smiled, a real little smile, and hugged him hard to which he was blushing madly. "Beast Boy, you're a great friend. Like a big brother always knowing what I need to hear." She pulled away and in a slightly chipper mood she tilted her head "Why are you crying?"

Beast Boy has started crying a little but he smiles on saying "Aw, glad I was able to do some good is all. I guess better get to bed huh?"

She nods and closed the door with thank you. Beast Boy stood there a moment and in his tears came slight sobbing, he solemnly left through the halls with his eyes blurring "Like a… big brother?" Beast Boy stops at his room and in a moment of need he opens the door and drops straight through the frame onto the floor. "I hate being a good guy."

* * *

Slade sat silently in his room now as his mind saw one more set of events. After this he will need to get some rest. Tomorrow, he had a banquet to go to and everything. "Wait… I can take Raven and the others!" He had a smile as it hit him that it would be the perfect place to tell her everything… or maybe, almost everything… or is it now the time to tell her who he is and what got him the name…

* * *

Slade found entering the facility was easy, some team has been there already and opened the facility up. He wore a black long coat and black clothing, even a black mask was assigned but he had removed it when inside. His thought was he had to now work twice as fast so he could get out alive without the facility being locked. Making way through the halls and underground facilities Slade found many bodies strewn about but he wasn't sure what happened. He found a room with many computers and some corpse over in the corner with a bloody lab coat on. He didn't give that mind he instead moves to the computers. "Damn, lucky their still online. It also seems the thing is logged on too."

While shifting through the files Slade found himself a nice cache of files on the programs here. "What in the… T Virus?" He has a totally out of place look "This looks like some really wild stuff for a military program. More like world domination…" His ears flick and Slade turns to the scientist now standing up sluggishly "Hold it!" Slade points his gun with a silencer on the doctor who growls lowly in a haggard moan. "What's going on here? What is the T-Virus?"

The scientist seemed to only wobble in spot so Slade demands "What is this facility and its purpose?" The scientist holds out his arms slightly, and stumbling forward on uneven steps Slade screams "Hold it! I will shoot you!" The scientist keeps stepping forward and Slade fires a warning shot, unaffected the scientist moves closer so Slade fires a shot on the knee, the scientist is forced to slam on the ground but now using his arms he began crawling towards Slade. Slade is shocked, but firing into the man's torso he is really freaked as he kept coming closer and closer. Slade finally decides that when in doubt… "Blow the brain out…" Slade fires and the man is forced to stop twitching on the ground his body stopped acting. Slade falls back into the computer and he shook his head "Damn, what did I get myself into?"

A door opens and Slade turns ready to fire but the one entering the room was a black man, an elderly black man with security written on his blue jumpsuit and he points a gun on Slade, a 22mm handgun common for the security lineup "Damn, hold your fire!" Slade does not lower his gun as a woman ran in with scientific coat, flat hair prated to the sides, and a young Asian face with glasses "Hey, we're not infected!"

"Infected?" Slade thinks and asks "You mean the T-Virus is infecting people?"

She was answered by the elderly guy with a can forcing through and to the computers "Yes, you with the Umbrella clean up crew?"

"…Yes, orders are to find any data deemed useful and return with all files I could."

"That sounds like Umbrella ignore the fact this hell is going to spread just get their precious weapons out to start again."

Slade did not really care he had his orders too. "Who are you exactly?"

"None of your business." The elder doctor began working while the woman walked towards Slade, "This is doctor Alderson Flask, and I'm his assistant Cammy Worth, while this guard is Mark Tremble."

Slade did not give his name, "Whatever, we need to get the hell out of here!"

"Sadly," Mark closes the door after looking through it a while "we can't leave with the Hunters on the loose."

"Hunters?"

"Specially engineered reptile-hunters, or just plain hunters. These guys are vicious and dangerous with claws capable of ripping through a guy's body in milliseconds. Then others infected who now can't seem to stop trying to gnaw on your flesh. The doc came down here for two things, one is the cure for the virus in all our veins and the other was for a special bodyguard."

Slade didn't care about any of that, except the cure "You mean even I'm infected?"

"To some degree but without any wounds you will be safe from full infection." Typing on the computer some strange beeps are heard and a machine nearby opened up with cold air rushing out. The elderly scientist smiled as he took some syringes out, "Of course who needs to worry over that when you have the anti-virus?" He tossed one syringe to Slade "Inject this it should remove the infection."

Slade did not put himself in any hurry which the scientist rolled his eyes "Here, I'll go first. You must be Umbrella you can't trust anyone." After the cure was passed around everyone had to do something else, "So you see why we're going for the Tyrant."

"It is the only thing that can withstand fighting these Hunters one on one, very well." Slade follows the group when they show a special door leading to the lower level with a ladder in the floor. "I hope this doesn't turn sour or something."

On the ladder Slade asked the woman under him, "Your name Cammy Worth that sounds very outgoing for a woman like yourself." She looked up to Slade who was moving slowly on the ladder while she held him up with her very slow climbing. "Yes, well it is the name of a royal family actually. I'm not necessarily a princess but… it's something you wouldn't understand."

"Gee sounds so exciting." He finds her stopping, "Hey is there something wrong?"

"My sister is still there in a war torn country. I sometimes wonder what happened to her you know? I left and decided I wanted to learn about all the world had to offer and sure enough the best to do that I thought was the Umbrella Corporation." She began moving again "I think I was wrong."

"No… you think?" Slade steps off the ladder after some more steps, the group is trying to open the door to the next room, "How long till we can get out of here?"

"Not long once we initialize the Tyrant he'll get us out of this place." The scientist opens the door and everyone jumps with two strange man-like lizards with long claw like appendages forging from their back arms like wrist blades. The first to leap in screamed an unusual high squeal. Slade kicks off this attacker and with his gun he began firing into the other lizard monster. It was not really bothered but charging Slade pulls from his side a knife, plowing into the back of the skull Slade maneuvers to the monsters back wrenching it around for a shield. The first lizard had stood, its fangs bearing it chomped on Slade but he used the monsters as shields leaving them now to fight each other. The elderly scientist ran to the consoles and began trying to upstart something inside a large canister tube. Slade looked at the tube, but he turned back as one of the monsters had fallen finally to the other. The surviving monster roared and Slade began firing as it zoned in on him. With its speed and claws Slade did bob and weave from its strikes, the sound of air releasing and Slade pulled away with the large canister opening. The monster turned and hissed but a fist plowed the monster into the farthest wall where it literally was broken. The fist was paler than pale, a black fingerless glove is clenched from this hand. With its arm stretched and knelt down a figure had a long black coat with straps up the center chest, its muscles tightened with the recognition of the people in the room. Standing now from the knelt position Slade looked in slight fear of the 7' man with no hair or color of his face, strong and defined proportioning of his face but Slade was more caught by the dead nothingness of the creatures eyes which had looked over the people in the room before stepping again, Slade raised his gun and the monster reacted by reaching for Slade.

"Stop!" The scientist pulled up a device and the monster stopped part way in his grapple. Slade lowers his gun and asks "What the hell is this thing!"

"He's a Tyrant first-class. Intellect and power, the perfect soldier for Umbrella since nothing can kill him." The monster looked at the group before the man snaps "Your mission is to destroy all Hunters and other threats as we escape the facility! Go out and do that immediately!" The monster gives nothingness in its look to the doctor but soon it heads in front of the group. Slade asks "If it's so smart why does he do what you tell him like a child?"

"He's not doing it for the sake of it. This device is a powerful explosive in the base of his neck. He can't do anything as long as I have this, he knows whose boss."

The creature had looked back with its eyes slinking to the scientist's last words. It moves back to the task at hand and began opening doors with its force, a hunter appeared and with the grip of its one hand to its neck he applied enough pressure to force the monster to crinkle and fall dead.

"What do you call that thing?"

"We call the strain of mutation Tyrant. The highest of their mutated kind from the virus, but this one is actually from our greatest find called the G-Virus, we call this one…" The monster swings both hands through a door where five hunters seemed to be feasting, they charge and the monster snorts before swinging one arm that launched each hunter into each other "This one is my work of art… Nemesis."

* * *

Raven had the worst time trying to sleep. She finally gave up and floated through the ceiling to sit on the roof. She looked out over the slowly moving water. Waves splashed and churned so Raven sat on the edge of the tower with her arms crossed on her stomach. Holding herself there she seemed to wonder on many things lately. Will was a good guy, nice to talk to, a little unusual but truth is she was just about the same.

When she sat here like this she often found herself giving into her urges to simply stay here in silence. When alone Raven did not have to be consider weird, strange, creepy, or even just spooky. She found herself being whatever she wanted to be. With Will yet again she felt she was truly accepted he didn't seem to obsess over who he was or what he was doing… until now. She now realized how sad it was she wanted all the answers but she wished he never knew ones about her.

Eventually, Raven did relent to her common sense and floated to her bed again. She covered up tight, rolled into her mind, and in her smile she remembers that strange moment she was able to meet him… "Assess moving zebras."

* * *

Sometime went by as they wandered the halls. Luckily, Nemesis tore all in his path like rotten garbage. He had no slowing down grace period he merely kept going and every wound would heal after the attack almost immediately. Slade watched the monster and he only could think how it would be to not falter from injuries. How amazing it must be to endure all this in such stride. The team stops short in a large rounded off room where water was leaking from pipes. "This looks bad we need to cross to reach the elevator." The sound however of a door breaking down and Mark leaps away from the people here. "Wh-what that!"

From the opened door stood a large black man or so it seemed, in black underwear-bathing suit the man's body is ripped in muscle, his hands are clawed and stone like with unreal coverings, and his chest is bare with a large beating heart. "Thanatos! He's online!"

Thanatos looks on the people and Nemesis, seeing Nemesis it roars before charging. Nemesis is struck quick over his right eye the wound is deep and does not repair. Nemesis screams and soon retaliates with a haymaker to the face the two titans began pounding one another with immense strength rippling the waters from each stride. The scientists and Slade run for the door no reason to get involved now. Slade leads the rest of the way shooting and fighting remaining monsters, in a struggle Mark did try to intervene… it lead to his death. Not stopping to pine the three reach to corridor to the elevator. The elder scientist smiles as he walks past and points to the door "Okay, we can get out from here!" He was turning when something leaps down and gashes his face. The scientist looks up to Nemesis who had a strange lust in his two eyes, one slightly bleeding but repairing. His hand held the bloody remnant of Thanatos's claw hand the doctor pulls up his bomb and pushes the trigger, but Nemesis smiles his teeth in a wide smile and snarl as in the facility an explosion is heard. The scientist is cringing, Thanatos's hand was bloody, and so was Nemesis's neck. "Son of a…"

"_Bitch…"_ Nemesis spoke in his haggard voice a deep unholy moan mixed groan. After that he steps on the doctor so when he bore down it crushed his chest in. Nemesis walks over him towards Cammy, but Slade leaps in and begins taking pot-shots on the monster "Take the elevator! I'm better off fighting by myself!"

She looks at Slade than Nemesis who is blocking the shots on his eyes the only thing he knew could be hurt. She ran through letting Nemesis flail around her as she soon was at the elevator door. Escaped, Slade smiles as he clicks the last bullet and drops the gun. A knife is all he has left, "Well… I guess I'm lucky I'm still armed."

"_Armed!"_ Nemesis pulls off from his back a large rocket launcher, to which Slade twitches his right eye saying "Oh… boy…"

* * *

"I knew you were probably awake still Star." Robin walked into the living room where Starfire sat alone in the dark. She was curled in a ball on the couch, her face half in her legs and half peering into the dark. "It was necessary Star."

"It is necessary to allow those who are expecting us to protect them to suffer? To allow those who want us to protect them to die is also necessary?" Starfire seemed to give a slight sigh as Robin sat next to her "What monster could do such terrible things? Allow innocent people to die in such terrible ways?"

Robin sat down and put his arm around the poor Tameranian. "Starfire…" She lay onto his shoulder "I'm sorry but… someday I promise it will get easier."

"That is not something I want. I want to understand why he would do the things he has done."

To that Robin had an answer, "… Because he takes pleasure in the pain of others."

* * *

"Damn!" Slade leaps behind a large protruding metal something; he didn't have time to see what. The rocket blew and his latest cover was gone. He now stood and began to try and get closer as the rocket launcher loads the next projectile. In the time it takes and he had, Slade knew he had to act quick so… tossing the knife at the rocket's next projectile pre-empted the fire but blew it off of Nemesis's shoulder. Nemesis was not harmed it seems he was still healing at an alarming rate so Slade now locked in hand-to-hand.

Forearms first began to touch, each a strike of front and back of forearms an equal defense trying to open a spot to offense. Slade hoped if he maneuvered to the one eye that is gone he could get an advantage but Nemesis seemed too prepared for that. The two go at it for several more strikes, but soon Slade drops his guard and one open palm struck his ribs making him loose momentum. The strike broke a rib instantly, Slade buckles but he recovers to stop the club-arm swing from above. Pushing off the mercenary began an offense, a downward stomp on the upper leg made Nemesis buckle, soon the roundhouse kick, followed by the second kick to the chest made Nemesis topple on his back.

Slade had an advantage, but Nemesis reached at his side to swing the launcher's handle like a large club and it launched Slade over towards the side. Pushing up Nemesis swung down several times, force denting the metal grates in the facility almost breaking to the floor. Slade rolled, he jostled, and eventually he blocked the club to careen it to Nemesis's face where he pushed then kicked the club into Nemesis's jaw. Nemesis stumbles back and Slade runs up to plow punches into the larger opponent's sides. Slade ducks under a back swing, he retaliates with rising and a kick to the ribs. The next arm latches onto Slade's should and by force Nemesis swings Slade over his height and to the floor behind him, then again and again for five times Nemesis swung Slade over himself like a bag of garbage. Slade is slightly dazed in the pain of his back and his lip is bleeding. Nemesis stomps his foot but a lucky roll saves Slade from the bending in floor. Standing up Slade sees a glimmer; he leaps on it and turns around on his back as Nemesis began to stomp over to him. Slade pushes up tiredly, and in the moment he screams as he charged. Nemesis grabs him in one hand, pulling up Slade to eyelevel he growls lowly at his opponent before clasping his two hands on Slade's neck. A smirk, Slade plunges his hand into the right eye of Nemesis and a moment the monster drops him and begins screaming. The knife, Slade found it and while the monster is wounded he hears a ding the elevator returned. He ran to the elevator and swung inside as he pushed the button. The doors close, it begins to ascend, Slade leaves a sigh release and before he is out of ear shot he screams, "Freak! If you see the devil tell him Slade sent you!" Slade pulls from his side the device he installed; he had one other mission… destroy the facility.

After the explosions began riddling the building he found the doors opening. Slade ran outside to the fresh air of the mountains, trees and everything. He stood up and soon his eyes began to twitch with his forehead bleeding. "Damn…"

Many soldiers were flooding the area from jeeps and trucks so Slade ran to the woods hoping he could sneak out. He watched and listened as the men flood out from the vehicles. One man began ordering that they begin figuring out what happened another was beginning a sweep of the area. Slade gave himself a sigh of relief as he stood up on the tree he was behind. They were Umbrella and sure enough he had no business with them anymore. The next sound came from behind, Slade turns and ready to fight but it was Cammy Worth. He leaves go a smile so she asks "You have a plan Mr. Hero?"

"Hero? The hell with that, I'm too beat up to play hero." He points to his rendezvous and asks "How far you think the mountain there is?"

"A nice size walk but we'll make it." Next they hear unloading and Slade has a slight irritation as the men began unloading buggies. He pulls the girl with him and tells her his plan, the time came she sat down at a tree and pretended to sit there. A buggy stops near her and she feels uneasy as the man holds up his rifle. Lifting his communicator he is struck from behind with a powerful judo-chop. Slade ushers her over, they escape on the buggy hoping to not be caught which they weren't. The next thing is the rendezvous and escape… it was over. On the chopper Slade explains what he learned, what's happening, and offers Cammy a chance to help them learn more. The mission is a success; Slade was given his spot in the program and Jack a chance to gain his place too.

* * *

When he was home in the base Slade was brought to the main office a full report on the desk Nick read over it twice, "Well you certainly had fun."

Slade, bandage over his forehead, lip, and ribs gave a brow raise "Fun you say?"

"Hey I'm kidding! You did great either way there Slade. So, any more news?"

"Well not that I can think of yet sir."

"Okay," Nick offers another cigar but Slade brandishes the one he had earlier "I see well one day you'll find it's a good time to smoke that baby." Nick spits out his old cigar and bites into the new one "You'll see kid, you'll see."

Slade left the office and found himself wandering to the main rooms. Here he found Jack slowly rolling on his bed, "Huh?" Jack pulls out from bed and nods "Hey you're back so…" Slade steps into the light with his injuries "Holy hell! What did you get in a fight with?"

"Nothing…" Slade thinks to himself 'Except some super-soldier from hell.'

"So you had fun?"

"Yeah I guess," Slade thinks a moment, "Jack I have an idea. Since you are my apprentice I want to get things started right."

"What do you mean?"

The two head to the identity-room, designed to be an assignment of new identities and such. Slade manufactures something special, an I.D. card for Jack. "I thought about it, how about I give you a new identity? I have a half brother… a real piece of work, his name is Wade. In a way you will be like my little brother, a new brother." Jack smiles at this idea "Well, from this day forward your name is…" Slade hands over the I.D. and Jack nods "Wade Wilson…"

* * *

Slade holds the cigar, "Wade Wilson…" Slade smirks and takes the cigar into mouth, a light and bite soon Slade puffs, 'Here's too you Wade, the old you… my brother.'

* * *

In a special facility a hand pulls the trigger. A target is blown apart from the special Lugar class pistol and soon the men watching give fearful looks. The man firing was not a man, it was a special soldier. His body burnt only made him stronger. The day he broke out of the blazing facility to the startled Umbrella forces was the day he was chosen. Saved, and allowed to heal this monster's flesh became stronger than before now nearly impossible to harm. His regenerative powers only increased, and his hate for one man intensifies each day it looks out with one eye. That's right; only one dead eye sees the man that took it. The man who left the monster to die now he lives and grew stronger. Day by day he became more powerful, fiercer, and each day as it ends the training like it did today it releases the name through its lipless jaw. The fire burned its lips; left bare gums of the long fangs to the hideous one eyed visage, Nemesis only knew one name aside from its own… "_S.L.A.D.E."_

Note: Ooh, now things getting good or what? It was this time a friend asked who would win in a fight, Slade or Nemesis? Slade by the comic standards was super strong, regenerative, and intelligent. Nemesis was the same thing; both also are super soldiers so some wonder if these two had a mission that conflicted would they fight it out? Well, I might just answer that question later… hint-hint.


	11. Chapter 11

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 11: Dreams within a Dream

Note: You know the disclaimer of old, and so if I don't say I own something it is because I do not. I take my credit for the Kagejin, the Brood, and that should be just about it. Dang, a long time but here's my latest chapter hope you all like it. Oh, I do not own the Cheese Man and Halloween… Do-doo-doo, Do-doo-doo, do-do-do-do Lol.

She stood outside a classroom for several minutes after the bell had sounded off. Her name is Kori Andrews, or as she goes by nickname Starfire. She just waited as the teacher asked her to enter, Kori walked slowly with her purple top and skirt along with long leather boots. She gulped with the many eyes now upon her, she blushed and bowed, "Hello, I am Kori… Kori Andrews."

"Yes," The woman with an accent had black hair, her accent is Russian and so she spoke aloud "Take your seat Andrews. I am Rouge, Madame Rouge for you."

Starfire sat soon next to a large gray skinned guy in black torn jeans, and black torn shirt. He grinned at her so she turned away, noticing a boy with black shades and spiky black hair similar to the other, but shorter. "Um… hello."

"Hey, the name's Rancid," The tall guy leaned on his chair but fell off, "Damn it!"

A slap on the desk, Rouge screamed "Rancid! I demand you go to the principal's office for that language!"

"Aw, Mr. B. is a dick, always trying to act like he's your brother." The sudden pull on his ear it's almost like her arm is rubber as she drags him from the room, "Aw damn! I'm sorry, toots!"

When they are gone the other boy smiles, "Don't worry about Johnny he's never been the brightest. The name's Richard, call me Dick or Robin if you want." She nods with a smile. In the seat behind her a boy with green short hair and pointy ears whispers to his other friend, "Dude, she's hot."

The other fatter teen with a mono-brow was drooling, "She reminds me of the orange-skinned alien women of Parmesan-Perciaman 3-B!"

The two laughed so Star turned to find them now squiggle about like mad before hiding in their books. She soon giggled, and the bell rang… the room is empty. She is confused. That is when she hears it. She stood quickly to try and make a star bolt but nothing came, she grimaces as a shadow looms at the back of the room pushing from its way many desks. Star ran to the door, she pushed and kicked, the door is stuck and the shadow came closer. Then, as the bell rang, the door opened and she fell on her face. She looked up to find a pale girl in a black outfit with pink hair, "Freak…" she walked away and the next girl with all red and an anarchist sign on her forehead giggled with her friend.

Starfire stood to now look as the halls are emptying to the cafeteria. She walked, but then came the sounds. Turning back, a strange black misty limb moved from the room she exited into the hall. The way it twitched and moved it seemed as if stop-motion, the next limb, and many more came from the room with a large ball of mist. She walked backwards holding her hands to her chest in fright. She now ran to the cafeteria and inside there she found all the students eating and mingling. She took her place in line. Then she was wondering if what she saw was real. What is she doing here? Where is the tower, it is a dream, perhaps? That would explain most of it… "You okay?" She looked to the tall black teen with a football jersey. He smiled; a kind smile and she returned it. "The name's Victor Stone. You're new aren't you?"

"Yes… well…" She turned to the cafeteria man a tall balding guy with glasses, and a gray suit. She raised a brow as she did not recognize him… "Um, who may I ask are you?"

"The cheeses..." He held a platter with slices of Kraft cheese spread about nicely, "The power of the cheese is the key, to happy cows!"

Starfire now was more confused but finished going through the line. She sat with Victor noticing the green haired kid and fat kid now gawking at her at their table, Robin sat on the other end and another teen was here, she was reading a book. She lowered it to show her pale skin and lavender eyes, "Nice hair…"

"Oh? You like my hair? I like the cover of your… periodical!"

"Whatever…" she now raised the book, and the boy with green hair gasped, "Dude, she spoke… twice!"

"A new record!"

The bell rings… Starfire looked about as the teens are all gathered. Here is a man with an elderly posture and large teeth, "Al'eight my little duckiest, here's today's subject. We're going to cover the subject of…" he pulled a poster with Starfire on it, "Troqs."

Starfire felt the eyes all come on her so she shrunk into her seat. "Now, we all know what Troqs are like. They like to listen to their emotions over common sense. That's why this 'ere Troq had herself a little tiff. She felt it was wrong to disclose life, for life. By crikey, she was a nasty 'lil twit. You can't save life without sometimes loosing life. It's a shame, 'lil bugger. However, we have another thing to consider 'ere! This nasty Troq doesn't understand how pain has to happen, she doesn't get the fact pain is necessary for pleasure. POOR thing has deluded itself to thinking it understands humanity, yet it ain't got the foggiest of clues!" The Mad Mod look-alike points his cane to Starfire, "Oi, what do you do when confronted with such a delusional critter?"

Starfire is sniffling, her eyes red, and in her mind she answers, "You… accept its differences and show it compassion?"

That is when from the roof four inhuman limbs snatch into the floor at corners around Starfire. She looks up to a large beak with a thrashing tongue, it roars and she screams as she is ascended from the room. Mad Mod, he has a gleam in his glasses as he turns to the students, "Sorry Ducky, but not the right answer." His eyes scan to the green haired boy, "Oi! Bobby Beastly! Wake up! WAKE UP!"

* * *

Beast Boy sprung from his table in the hotel room. "Um… what was…?" He now walked over after situating his glasses on his head and rustling up his white executive shirt, and closed the laptop with a smirk, "Hey, she helped me out a lot I got a nice sized article this week." He now walked out of the hotel room and made his way downstairs. As he was moving through the halls he hears the sound of strange movement. He hurried the pace she was always dragging him to lowly places. Damn Terra, she's too adventurous for him… "Oh-Kay, hurry up!" He had pushed the elevator call button but nothing happened. He turned to see something is coming from the stairwell, slowly. He coughs, pushes the button again. The elevator moves one level, he taps again, the elevator moves one level and the thing is coming closer. He keeps tapping; the thing is coming closer and closer. He keeps tapping and soon enough, as its four long arms reach out with two nub like talon fingers on each eerie hand, the doors open and Beast Boy jumps in before they close. He pants, heaves even a sigh before noticing someone is with him. It was the large male football player "Vi-Victor Stone! Oh man! What are you doing here?" 

"Oh… uh…" he shrugs to show his number, "I needed some rest from the last game we had. What are you doing here?"

"Actually, I'm going on a game show. I'm hoping it will improve my comic career."

"Cool!" the door opens and Victor walks out, "Good luck with that, yo."

"You too man!"

Then the door closes, Beast Boy is now at a podium with some slinky blue skinned guy in a nice suit and top hat, he screams "Welcome, one and all to one of the greatest game shows of all time, 'Out Geek the Freak!' With your host the wise and noble, Mumbo Jumbo, and the star competitor of trivia and knowledge, the Control Freak!"

Beast Boy noticed his competitor, the portly Control Freak rubbing his nails on his jacket. "So, without further ado, please allow me to announce we have come to the final round, tied up, and on the last three mega-questions! Whoever answers the most of these questions, will WIN the game, and either of the prizes behind these three doors!" Now shown are three novelty doors easily raised from pulleys. "So, Beast Boy, can you 'Out Geek the Freak!'"

Beast Boy smirks as he cracked his knuckles, "Try me, no one's freakier than a green skinned pointy eared teen-hero!" the crowd laughs, and Mumbo nods, "Well then, the first question…"

"Control Freak, who is the most handsome member of the Teen Titans."

"Easy, that's Aqualad!"

"Hm… Beast Boy, your answer would be…"

"Uh, duh, that's me!"

There is a loud dinging sound, "Woo-hoo, Beast Boy is correct!" He whispers, "Only because Cyborg's half metal, and Robin's always wearing a mask he wins by default as the only other male member of the First Teen Titans." There is laughter, Beast Boy gave a glare but there is the next question.

"Beast Boy, Who is Raven's one and ultimately true love."

Beast Boy shook his head, "Hello, me again!"

"Control Freak?"

"You have to be kidding! It's obviously that Will guy!"

There is a dinging sound, "Correct! Will is he true love, she's obviously only seeing twiggy here as a member of the 'Best Friend' category, and not ones with benefits!"

"HEY!"

"Final question!" Mumbo swings his wand and the music became dramatic. "What is the true identity of King Kong?"

"Um…" Control Freak shrugs, "Godzilla?"

There is a buzzer, Beast Boy also was stumped… unless… "Ooh! He's really Kong!"

"What… that's just…

"Correct and that means you won!"

Beast Boy is ecstatic, even dancing and such as Mumbo flips his hands to the doors, "Now, choose your door!"

Beast Boy looks them over, the crowd screams and soon… he chooses… "Door three!"

"Great, now let's see what you would have won!" Door one is lifted and the man with glasses has cheeses covering his head, like a hat? "Though I wear the cheese, the cheese does not wear me!"

"Door two!"

The door raises and there is Raven, standing in a VERY seductive type of lingerie. Beast Boy gulps, and soon she disappears, "DUDE!"

"Sorry kid, no second chances. Here now come and take your prize!"

Beast Boy found himself in front of the third door, and he stood still. It lifted and there seems to be a lovely red stinger convertible car! Beast Boy screams in joy and runs along the car. He pops the hood, then he finds… nothing… anything at all… but soon a sound is heard. "Uh-oh…" and four arms latch Beast Boy dragging him into the darkness where he is screaming. Mumbo fixes his tie and screams, "Looks like even he couldn't out geek our Freak in the end! Well, that's the show! I hope you all enjoyed and until next time, this is Mumbo saying, 'Only you can Out Geek the FREAK!'"

* * *

It took him nearly forever but Slade did finally fall asleep. He was now in the dreams he often had. The dreams, they were of his past always broken and wrong. Slade dreamt of the day he learned his title as Death stroke was no longer necessary. How he was to become psychotic and delusional. The doctors did tests to see what was happening but nothing came back for the brighter, Slade's affected brain was becoming too advanced for his own good making him a psychotic madman. He was in the office of Nick Fury when it came to be news… "I'm going to have how long?" 

"Actually, you'll live for a long time. We're not sure how long you have until the psychosis, but you'll have years more than us to live with it." Slade lowered his head in disbelief, "You wanted to know about Jack, right?"

Slade looked up hopeful, but the look in Fury's eye was obvious, "You mean…"

"The serum worked but it advanced in his body. We used a scientifically designed mutagen and super-soldier serum with your body. However with him we used the blood of a mutant once called "Weapon X" to ensure a difference between you and the other recruits. You were going to lead them but… they seemed to have suffered symptoms out of our control."

"Are they still alive?"

Nick shook his head and Slade seemed to lessen his stare, "Wade… he, did survive but…"

Slade looked in slight hope, but Fury and his damn eye, "So what happened to him?"

"The experiment took a turn we didn't expect. The skin cancer seems to have spread in part to the serum, and not only that his mind has completely snapped from reality. He's making up his own memories as he goes and we think he's even more regenerative than yourself." Slade now realized there is a collection of papers on the desk with his name, "Slade… we, realize the experiment is a complete failure. So because of that they asked me to tell you about the complete removal of this facility and the cancellation of further testing. These are your discharge papers… I'm sorry."

* * *

Victor Stone is a well known sports player in his team. He had everyone look up to him. They figured him the brother they wanted, the friend they needed and the coolest they respected. Victor Stone is just that one guy you know, but nothing more. Victor was now in the locker room when he put the winning ball in his locker. Another game and he was famous for several more hours before they just sort of found him as that guy. Cyborg closed the locker with a hard swing he was sick of being ignored. He was an important member of the team! What the hell is wrong, he's the strong one! "You know what! One more person screws me over for the spotlight and…" That was when he is grabbed and taken he jumps, a man with glasses and cheeses on his shoulders showed up and his hand is shoved into his shirt. "Uh, you okay?" 

"The sum of ones worth is not in the measure of his cheeses, but is in fact a compilation of the ways… he uses them!" The man now walked off leaving Cyborg completely confused. Of course, the four arms popping open his locker and dragging him in didn't help either.

* * *

Robin was preparing his guitar as his drummer Cyborg checked the equipment. His other guitarist Beast Boy was also checking his speakers as they prepared. "Man, we have a full night tonight. Not a seat empty in the entire house." Robin looked up to the two beautiful women, one in a nice purple outfit the other a tight black one, "Maybe our new backup singers are the reason?" 

"I know one thing." Beast Boy gave a growl, "I'd buy a seat to see Star and Raven dance, anywhere!"

Robin had to laugh as the hot little number they call Raven pulled a rope and he's smashed by a Grim Reaper looking diorama. Robin now looked at the area, and he's confused. Why is he here… what is… "Uh," He shook his head "Practice right?"

The curtain raised and they are in the middle of a show. He's playing, and the crowds cheering. He then stops but his guitar keeps going. Robin stood watching it move out like that, and he pulled off the guitar to toss it but it levitates and goes on with the show. Robin ran offstage, and he nearly slams into some guy with cheeses on a tray, he removes the lid and says "The cheese, it will not help you."

Robin runs past him and he meets up with Raven, the REAL Raven, "Robin!" She pushed through some backstage attendants, "Listen to me! I broke into your dream!"

"My dream?" He's confused; Raven grabs him and pulls him away "Listen, something is in our dreams trying to mess with our heads. I realized it when Starfire suddenly disappeared, then Beast Boy. I was able to get into your dream because I wanted to warn you."

Robin is confused but she seemed honest. Just then as they made their way to the exits they open it, but it only leads to the stage again. Raven was stunned, and when she's grabbed by a flying demon diorama in the show she screams for Robin. He is flung the guitar and is playing again he noticed it did not seem right, but…

Then a large demon head was lowering from the roof. Raven pulled out from her capture and made way to Robin. He leads the band; they sing and play to the fans. The band is magnificent with a show and talent like no other, the demon head lays in the middle behind the leader, he leads them and knows only the role. That is when it opens, and a large beak screams as four arms took him and dragged him within. Raven grabbed his hand only to loose it and the head closes shut, a large thrust of smoke she pulls back as the show is over. All of them, the entire stadium has become empty. Raven sat in the middle of the stage as all around her became dark. Raven was now alone… she was always fated to be alone…

* * *

Slade spent several years after that doing nothing worth mentioning. He did think of travel and sometimes adventure, but he was still not so worried over his life. A part of him wondered on his old friend Jack, and so he searched in military logs for info he could use. The thing is he was being treated by a renowned psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis. This doctor recently had a case which almost killed him, the incredible 'Myers' case. Of course Michael Myers was under constant surveillance and in a deep coma. No reason to worry but the Dr. has suffered incredible injuries. Even if that is the case Slade knew this was the man who last dealt with his former friend Jack. He had to try his luck. 

"Hi, is Dr. Loomis in?"

The nurse smiled to the handsome young man, "Why yes he is. If you'd like I could take you to his office… sir."

"Just tell me where to find him please."

She frowned but gave him the number, as well as her own. He followed the rooms to one with countless clippings over the walls. All of these paper articles were of the Michael Myers incident. Slade never knew some one could be so… obsessed. "Wow…"

"Indeed." Slade turned to find Loomis sitting at his desk. Dr. Loomis is a bald man often in a brown coat and executive suit. He has a long blue tie matching his blue vest, but it is the burns over half his face that shows his true self. Dr. Loomis is not a man of many things but he knows psychopaths. His relentless battle with one such psychotic fiend has lead him on a battle to face the darkness of his fear, the evils of mans mind. "So, you're Mr. Wilson, or Slade am I correct?" Slade sat in the opposite chair. "I expected to see you. Wade mentioned you many times in our sessions. He also mentioned your… gift." Slade had given a slight snarl to the idea, "Calm down Mr. Wilson. I have information you may wish to hear. I know where Wade has gone. He confided in me before his escape from the military. I doubt they could have held him much longer, no longer than I could… him."

Slade turned to the pictures of the ghostly face, the masked madman. "You still find yourself troubled with him? He's been in a coma for several years."

Dr. Loomis gave a glare to Slade, "Mr. Wilson… I met him fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding and even the most rudimentary sense of life of death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six year old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes, the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply… evil."

Slade didn't act surprised. He now just leaned into his chair and asked "What does this have to do with me? I only want to know where Wade was headed."

"I know, and for that information I ask you stay here and help me. Just stay until after Halloween is over this week… please?"

"Why?"

Loomis looked to his clipping and seemed to answer with, "If it happens you will know."

Slade agreed but he didn't like this. The day of Halloween and he really hated it. Was there anything more degrading than waiting for an old man to just go 'That was a waste of time here's what you want to know!'

Slade sat back in the chair, today was the day and… "Dr. Loomis!" The nurse ran in with a horrifying face, "It's him, Michael. He's somehow… out of his coma. They say he killed the two nurses taking him for treatment and stole their ambulance."

Loomis stood up snapping "I ordered they didn't move him until after Halloween! What the hell is wrong with your staff?" He ran out the door, stopping he turned to Slade "Damn it! We don't have all day, move it!" Slade stumbled from his chair, is it true that Michael Myers came out of his coma? The worst part is when he overhead Loomis mutter, "I thought I was the one with a bum leg."

* * *

Raven stood in the darkness with fear. Where is he, what is he? The thing was waiting to find her in a weakened state like the others with their fears. Raven soon felt it coming, closer, so she screamed in her arms outstretched "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" 

The darkness shatters away and shows a world of rainbow like colors and lights. Raven finds her four friends floating in slumber with four glowing bubbles. "What have you done to them?"

"_I have done nothing…"_ The strange blackness fell from the ceiling and seemed to change its form. "_This is nothing but a dream. They are dreaming and I am the Dreamweaver. They would not comply with what I wanted to know so I turned their dreams to their nightmares. However, I find all five of you have a figure, a Boogie Man in all your minds… yes…" _the blackness swirled and shaped to another form. The Shape, it began to make that of a man with one, cold, calculating eye. Raven took a step back as there stood Slade, in his costume, in a taunting stance with his arms behind his back. "My, how easily you fear this man."

* * *

Slade sat in the back while Dr. Loomis began to explain the situation. It seems Michael has a niece and she was now his target. The hassle was not going to end there, Michael was not going to die in any easy means, but that was why Dr. Loomis brought Slade. He couldn't believe it but now Slade had a mission, or some purpose and it felt good. Was that why Wade left him this trail? The blasted life he lived needed the thrill of a fight, and of a challenge. They halted the car in front of the old abandoned home of the former Myers family. Loomis stepped out and listened, "I hear… damn it she's inside!" 

Slade ran inside with Loomis to find the young child in the middle of the basement. The dark shadows were as foreboding as one could expect. Slade stood in the doorway as Dr. Loomis walked to her and tried to calm her, she was frightened and very anxious to leave. Slade then noticed The Shape coming from the blackness so he ran to block a large butcher knife. The arm holding the butcher knife was in a blue sleeve, belonging to the blue overalls this man wore. He pulled back showing his black army boots which somehow made no noise with the steps he took backwards. The last thing Slade saw was the white latex that resembles a face, but the grooves of the mask made it seem no one is inside their binding, and short brown hairs accent the mask. Slade turned to Dr. Loomis, asking, "What am I supposed to do Doc?"

"Michael can only be killed if his current body is completely destroyed. In the flame he must be until all is left are bone and ash!"

Slade gave a turn to find the butcher knife now coming at his stomach; this Myers guy stabbed Slade and hefted him into the air holding him several feet off the ground. Loomis pulled the young girl away, Michael held Slade before letting the man slide off his knife. Myers now began his chase but he is suddenly tripped. Slade stood, and his horrid grin is great and wide like the wound now healing itself, "Sorry, but you'll have to do better than that!"

Myers perked his head to the side slightly wondering how Slade did that, but soon as he's dragged from the heel he's not left with any more inquisitive looks. Slade began to toss the man around like no man ever tossed Myers before. When Myers broke through a decaying wall he stood slowly, Slade jumped in from the hole with a kick and it stumbled the attacker. Myers soon began wild swings of the knife; Slade dodged them and retaliates with a swift set of punches and kicks. Slade was not the only one doing some damage, Loomis has begun to pour gallons of gasoline into the house. He has set several cans of gas along parts of the home and as he flipped the match he tossed it inside the still open door. The flames spread quickly and soon Myers and Slade find themselves in a flaming inferno. Slade makes a strong kick to the chest of Myers, sending the behemoth onto the ground hard. Slade then ran out the path he found to the front narrowly escaping the debris that could have trapped him. A good part of the roof is already collapsed inward and Slade now had a chance to watch the fireworks. "So, is it over?"

"Did you see him burn to death? See his remains turn to dust?"

Slade was going to say no but somehow, Myers pushed through the debris still a flame! Slade was dumbfounded, but Myers reached his knife back and tossed it narrowly stabbing the young girl, she looked at the knife in a blank fashion before Slade ran in and spin-kicked Myers into the debris just right enough piercing the masked madman into a burning wooden column. The next few hours Loomis and Slade watched as Myers moved and pitched about on the wood, soon watching as the arms and legs turned forms of man to ash. In the end the last thing to burn is the torso and head allowing the blank eyes to keep looking on the three survivors, forever more.

After it was over, Loomis took the girl home where her parents and sister greeted her. Slade stayed outside until Loomis returned, "Well?"

"The curse is over. Michael Myers is finally dead." Loomis had a smile on his face, something he very seldom has. "I can safely say you did an excellent job."

Slade had to smile. For some reason he felt like a million bucks. Slade has not felt this way since he was Death stroke, and now he pondered if perhaps he should look into being a mercenary. He certainly would love to try his hand at that. Perhaps he'd find something even more worth while than the Myers case. Loomis held up some papers in an envelope, "I know it's not much but these are reports and materials Wade left. He never did seem too crazed, more misunderstood. However, his whereabouts I believe are in the Orient, perhaps a region of China or Japan I'm not completely certain. He often did speak of swords, the Katana, which is the only clue I have."

Slade didn't seem upset; in fact it made his day to have this clue. "Thank you Dr. Loomis. It was, well some of this was an interesting experience."

Dr. Loomis would have smiled, if not for the sudden scream. Slade followed inside to find Loomis now screaming towards the top of the steps and trying to fire, but a police officer stopped him. Slade looked to see what made Loomis so rash, he couldn't believe it. The young niece was standing in a full clown costume and holding the bloody knife of her late uncle. Though, it was the look of her eyes Slade recognized. Her eyes, they were in fact, The Devil's eyes.

* * *

Raven was flying through the colors, but when she turned there was Slade following. She stopped and called the darkness of her aura to her hands and tried to then pull the colors into a barricade, somehow she knew since this is her dream she can manipulate the world around her. However, the thing chasing her was not subject to the dreams laws. His fist plowed through the barrier and next he was upon Raven wrenching her wrists in his grip.

"Fear me girl. Fear the power I have over you, and over this world!" She pulled free and he followed, "Run, run in fear! Run in complete fear of the power we have!"

Raven swung back and called the colors into a hand, they reach and snag Slade. "You're not Slade! Just what the hell are you?"

"Fitting the phrase of hell, I am the Shadow of Sin, Dreamweaver." He broke the hand away and began to strike at Raven once more; she however raised her shield to block the attacks. Her mind is racing for some way of fighting something that was not her dream, but was within her dream. She was becoming more and more frightened as this thing became more and more powerful. She figured it out the fear they have is what makes it stronger. Just then the power housed Slade slammed his two hands into her shield flinging her to the ground, she lay there looking worriedly as he slowly floated to the ground, and crouching on all fours he gave a sadistic glare on her now. Raven was on her back looking in fear but it struck her, he didn't belong why not use something else that does not belong? "Will, Will can you hear me?"

Will was in his dreams of the past headed to Japan, when it began to dull and he heard Raven, "Will…" He jumped from his seat, the world changed and here he was with colors shining all around him. Will looked around and that is when he saw someone is choking Raven. "Get the hell off of her!" He charged, but upon seeing the attacker he stopped. Slade looked to Will, and Will looked to Slade. "No… not you…"

Slade dropped Raven and turned to Will completely, "So you fear this man too? I sense the fear, fear of your darkest secrets. They lurk in this man's body through your very mind." Slade walked with a dominant stride, Will lost his confidence and took steps away from his approach, "Impressive, the power one man has over you all. Who is he, and more important who are…" That was when Slade stopped, his eye glowing gold he now chuckled, "I see, so in reality… Will, you are…"

"No! Shut up!" Will ran forward and struck the mask of his darker self, shattering the mask darkness began to flow from it like a tea kettle. Will pulled back; covering his face he saw the darkness take a large form. The form was a living, breathing nightmare. It had six legs that bent in the form of a lizard brown and scaled, its body the same as a crocodile with a long swaying tail, and the head with a thick brown mane has seven red eyes and a large beak black in color with two nostril holes at its very end. The four arms, token to its attacks, now formed from the mane and stretch out around Will. Will stood firm and soon he had to smile as his body began to burn. "About damn time they started."

Two white flame wings came out of Will's back, and soon the flames spread over his right arm and stretched along his right pectoral, a band stretched his waist like a belt, and the flames also seemed to cover the scarred part of his face. Will held his arms up to see them, he didn't notice how much it was spreading, and he was burning more and more. Slade, the Slade of all Slade's, now gave a defiant glare to the monster Dreamweaver and said "You came to see what I am, well, I am a monster!"

Dreamweaver's arms latched to Slade, but he is soon burnt from the elbow with the flames. Dreamweaver is backing up, but Slade launches to the air and swings about his body and fist. Soon he catapults to the monster and he tunnels a cavern through its head and back, it screams and Slade stood slowly. The monster is in pain, but Slade is not worried over its pain he releases his wings and the flames consume the beast, it was done, he was able to destroy another monster… but not his own.

* * *

"Aah!" The plane is maddening as a man in sheets screams and catches flame. The attendants try to calm the other passengers but its no use. Eventually, in the chaos, no one noticed two men one large and one tall disappear in the darkness of the plane's rear. Another member was lost, how… interesting.

* * *

Raven stood to see Will standing with the flames covering his body. She was horrified to see him like that, was he in pain? "Will?"

Will almost forgot about her in the chaos. When he looked at her she was already running at him, his mind jumped, the flames and her demonic energy! "Raven, don't!"

It was too late, she was hugging him deeply and he was standing in shock. She was crying into his chest but the flames did not burn her. They were burning stronger, but not burning her. Perhaps since this was a dream. "Will, I was so scared." Will looked to her, she was tearfully crying up at him, "I thought I was alone. I thought I had no one here, I was scared. I don't want to be alone anymore."

Will was caught off guard, but he grabbed her tightly and held her to his chest, "I… I'm here, remember?" She pulled from his chest but not his embrace, "Raven, I'll be there always. I promised you that once already, or… if I didn't I promise it now!" He nods, she smiled and then they blushed. It was an obvious thought as they are there in one another's embrace, so he raised his hand to her chin. The sign to her to push off her toes hoping to make some leeway to his lips, he crouched into her with the intent and whim. The two inch, they move onto one another's breaths of anticipation and desire, soon they were making absolute rhythm in their breathing. As they are nearly together, inches are between their lips, that is when…

They hear a slapping sound, they turn quickly to the man with two cheese slices jiggling them, "Ah, behold the power of cheese!"

* * *

Raven leaps from her covers breathing erratic. Her eyes dart the darkness of her room and she looked to her clock, day is upon them. She now looked to the room again… and the loneliness made her roll into a ball as she sat up. "Will…"

* * *

Will lay on his back in the bed now looking at his ceiling when he awoke. She needs him, and he needed her. Will pushed out of his bed and turned to the closet. He walked to it, opened the door, and inside hanging is his outfit, the outfit he wore as he must. Slade gave a glare but said to himself and in a way the world, "Tomorrow, she must know the truth."

* * *

The morning and the titans are up making breakfast. Robin has an omelet with cheese shreds, and grilled cheese sandwiches, along with milk and some cheese biscuits. The others follow his meal and eat calmly at the table, except Raven who may have been first awake but last to enter the commons area. "Friend, do you wish to feast the meal of dairy and bacterium?"

Cyborg offers a fork of omelet, "Yeah, after this we're watching Family Matters."

Raven shook her head no and pulled out her kettle to make tea. "I'm not hungry right now I had the weirdest dream last night." To this the four gave shifty looks to the walls, "It had me, you all, a monster, and then…" She smiled with a blush, "Well it wasn't all bad." Raven waited for the tea to boil and as the others ate she fixed her tea, then she walked to her room stopping to muse to herself, "The only thing that I can't figure is that guy with the cheese, where the hell did that come from?" she chuckled and walked off.

To that the four have frozen, and only the sound of Cyborg dropping a huge hunk of omelet cheese from his fork broke the morning silence.

Note: The Cheese Man is actually a character from Buffy: The vampire slayer series, and as for Halloween, you know Wes Craven had something to do with that. Their not mine I just figured I'd clear that up. Hope you all enjoyed, see-ya!


	12. Chapter 12

Brittle Glass

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 12: Truth Shatters Us

Disclaimer: Read the end, disclaimer there.

A silent morning later came around. Raven sat at the kitchen with a book reading and musing certain pieces to herself. Beast Boy and Cyborg took more games to heart, Starfire watched and cheered them on as she saw fit. Robin kind of was just busy playing with some device of his working on an idea he had. That is about around the time the phone got to ringing, and all the others looked to it before looking to Raven, she still looked at it and slowly moved on it. When she picked it up, she took a breath to ask after that "Hello?" there is the answer, and "Oh it's you Will."

Will was on the other end holding a certain mask, one side orange, another black. "Hello my dear. I suppose it's been a hard night so I'll try to make this brief. I have some things I need to talk about."

Raven was going to say something but there is the four other heads jumping in her place with the phone. Beast Boy screams "Listen pal! We have some major questions of our own!"

"That's right! Your friend last night tried to kill us! That doesn't even begin to set you wanting to talk to Raven on any terms good with us!" Robin is fuming, Cyborg even gets angry "I vouched for you and this is the kind of crap you bring up in our house?"

Will slunk into his seat, but Starfire snaps up saying "Please! I am sure that all is to be explained! We are not at any point to place blame as friend Raven and friend Will are still quite close!"

Raven's head now pushes through the other four, then she screams through the phone over their bickering "I'm sorry now's not a good time! How about you call later?"

"No! I can't!" He snaps off like lightning, not now he could not back out, "Raven! I need to tell you everything tonight!"

She was silent, the others became silent, and yes even Will got silent not knowing Wintergreen sat and listened on the other phone hoping this was not going to fail. "Everything," she said surprised, "what do you mean everything?"

"Everything as in my past, my present," he coughed a little and said with a bit of fright, "perhaps even OUR future…"

The other titans 'Ooh?' as it intrigues them how he chose to say it, while Raven snaps her head back all the way like an owl "You guys butt the hell out!" she cleared her throat and returned twisting the phone cord, "So, why don't we start with that last one? What about the 'our future' thing?"

Slade took the time to smile knowing that made her happy, but he took a moment to look at the mask and could have sworn it leers at him, knowing it would be there when he tried to make the attempt to explain it all. He tried to smile but failed. So he became serious though with a minor tone of it, not wanting to insult her with an overly serious action or manner, "Raven?" she went 'M-hmm?' "I'd like you to accompany to this party I bought tickets too. I've seen flyers everywhere and I purchased several for you and your friends. While there, I will tell you everything. Some things you may like, while others…" he looked to the mask and closed his eyes wanting to ignore it. "Well, I will be honest of everything."

Raven got a little reluctant, maybe she didn't want to know some things. However, the others butt in with things like 'Sweet, a party!' or 'This will be so awesome' so she sighed with a little quirk, "Okay, I'm going to come."

"I'm glad. It's a pretty formal event so be sure to wear something nice." He has a little smile on his face, "I know what I'd like to see…"

She giggles and soon swat in the air, "Will, just hold off I'll see what I can do."

"Um, I'm talking about that dress… what are you" he blushes, "Ooh, well now."

She also blushed, "I was just joking."

"Really?"

She shuffled her one foot, "Well, let's just say I'm glad I'm the one who can read minds right now." They laugh on that and hang up. The titans are gapping at her little flirting session but she says "Deal with it. So, let's think about what to wear! Starfire you're with me, you guys are on your own! Let's move out people!" she floated off with Star as the guys look at one another and shrug saying "Tuxedos." And then jump on the couch waiting till somewhere later. Raven flies back out and down stairs, returning with a package she opens it and reads it a little, then screams "Be ready by 6!" she flew to her room and the guys watched her, but flipped a channel before resuming watching.

Meanwhile Slade tip-toed and tapped Wintergreen on the shoulder, the butler quickly jumped around slamming the phone down and acting like he had nothing to hide. Slade smiled, asking, "How did I sound? Was it too needy or not needy enough, what?"

"I… I believe you sounded a bit more needy than one would wish." He got an awkward jaw drop from Slade. "I'm just playing with you! I'm sure the lady will be most pleased to meet you again!" Slade let out a bit of relief, and as they walked off Wintergreen mused "I'm sure she'll be so excited she won't be as worried over your needy phone call."

"Screw you!"

* * *

Exercise equipment in an overly white and sanitized looking room. A huge dumbbell with a tremendous amount of weights is lifted off a chest. The chest was sculpted with muscles more than famous body builders could ever get. Even if this form seemed perfect it was donned with millions of scars from perhaps fire or worse. The figure wore a black pair of pants; sweat glistened from along the arms, the chest, and all over along the bench. The face… the face is deformed, lipless, and one silver eye leers forth with the grunting and snarling. Nemesis was doing his exercises and he did them with fervor. His regiment was harsh and slightly brutal. There is just the working, the practice, and then the time he gets to activities leisurely but also sometimes designed around expanding his heightened intellect. Nemesis is the key assassin of the Umbrella corporation. After lifting these weights he hears a buzzer, so he sets them up and stood to grab the closest fabric which was a towel. Whipping off the head, then shoulders and torso he tossed the towel into the trash before putting on the long coat but not before a black shirt to cushion his skin from its leather. Standing tall he looked to the door as it opened, there is a black man with riot like gear and a gasmask on his belt, like that would help if the virus really got out. Nemesis walked toward the black man and saw the shining item, if he could he'd smile to him but merely quirked the muscles along his outer jaw before taking the item. After that, he unwrapped it and quickly ate it, some king of candy which reads '3 Musketeers'. Nemesis walked past the next three, one asking "Why do you feed this thing like that?"

"Because it's nice! Besides, you better watch it Nems here can understand you guys. He has a higher IQ than most the eggheads in the facility."

One guard, the portly one who was white and had a crappy mustache said "Okay, Mr. Genius why are you in here and not out there? As I see it the freak here just has the luck of being a special pet to the company." He laughs with a slinky white guy and a bald white guy too. Nemesis growls lowly, but the black man just says "Don't mind them you go on time for recreation big guy."

Nemesis decided to best keep from another change of the guards. The last few he killed took a long time to replace, and this time he actually got one that didn't piss him off too much. When inside the portly guard asks, "Seriously why do you treat that thing like you do?"

He swung on about with a big grin, "Because, I watch enough monster/secret science movies to know the brothers always get it first. So I'm playing it smart! When big boy breaks on out, he's going to kill you three, but not me! I'm the one who treated him good and gave him the candy! So when it happens don't say I didn't tell you all so!"

They laugh at his mere assumption but now took guard outside. Nemesis was given several hours to assimilate knowledge or information from the internet. This of course is always kept under a strict control or watch. His movements kept typing and searching the information given to him now and again. He learned much of the world, though time and time again he looked for a search but always he was refused by the higher ups. Those bastards, they locked him out every time he looked anything that could result in Slade. Years passed, but he searches for him, the man that left him like this. The lights and computers go out, he growls but they easily came back on again. He now saw the computer turning on, and opening a text box… no, a messaging service? He never talked to anyone online… it was forbidden, so he typed in with the profile he had…

(NemsRemsSleep: Who there?

(PoolingBloodSurface: A Friend!

(NemsRemsSleep: No friends.

(PoolingBloodSurface: I friend! I know SECRET!

(NemsRemsSleep: What?

That is when a printer starts to work. He turned and walked to it to see the images coming out. His eye bulged to a white haired man, with a patch, and the name he knew so well lurks forth "S.l.a.d.e."

The pictures show him in what seems like a store, sitting. Then came someone else, Nemesis looked more closely at the young woman in a black dress, and then took that image as the others came out. His eye scrutinized her closely. She was unique, the pale skin and hair with eyes colored a strange color. She was very unique like the last woman he met, a woman he killed in a mission called Jill Valentine. However, unlike Jill this one seemed special to Slade, and in that she also seemed very interesting form wise, and among other attributes he notice of her. The last image he looked at was a map from Mapquest, his current location and some place in the neighboring Jump City. He realized this was it the break of his life. He knew where Slade was hiding and he was going to find him. After leaving the room his first instinct was to leave and head to the quarters upstairs, but he then thought it over and turned to the four guards. They looked on him confused, but when he smashed the three into oblivion with his bare fists it became clear his plans. Then came the black guard, walking up to him he tossed the wrapped into the guards face growling "T.h.a.n.k.s." and entering the elevator making his escape.

The guard looked to the other three, and screamed "Yeah! I told you! I told you all!"

* * *

At his computer in the dark room of metal and gears, Deadpool or Dead Man turned while rubbing his hands together. "Ah, a perfect plan! Now I'll bring Slade's old mistake here and wait for the fun to happen. Wasn't that a great idea General Pickles?"

General Pickles was in fact a green teddy bear, which in the twisted mind of Wade spoke to him saying "You're the greatest ever!"

"He sure is!" a pink bear sitting in another chair spoke now, Major Pepto-Bismol said "You know we love you Wade, you're such a good boy!"

Wade sighed in the affection of his stuffed friends, "Thanks, it warms my heart. What do you think Sergeant Scratch-n-Sniff?"

Sergeant Scratch-n-Sniff is silent a moment, but soon says "I think you're a wimp and a looser, who likes to wear women's underwear." Then he's shot five times as Wade screams "You bastard! I told you that in complete trust you'd keep it a secret!" he swings his arms snapping off at the handle for what happened.

Major Pepto-Bismol tries to calm him down, "Easy Wade, he was just being a bit of a meanie-weenie. No reason to go off the handle." However, he's blasted by several bullets as well, Wade snaps now at the dead pink bear (if you can kill a stuffed animal). "You were with them all along! I should have known you three are in league with the elves under my bed, moving things while I'm out of the room!" he swings to the bed in the corner screaming "Don't think I don't notice you!"

"Holy crap!" Pickles screamed out "We're your friends!" then he motioned the gun to the bear, it begins crying out in pleas but he ignores it clipping the bear in the shoulder. It flops onto the floor, where it coughs and hacks from the stuffing leaving its wound. "Wade, please we love you!" he then drops down and rips the bears chest open with his hands, then teeth, it screams for mercy but receives… none.

Breathing haggardly and deeply, he turns with stuffing in his mouth and the green bear head talking, but then spitting out the stuffing and saying "Let this be a lesson to you damned elves! I know all your tricks, all of them!"

He dropped the head and turned, looking at the room a last time with a scowl but closing the door… then opening up jumping in to see nothing has been moved, so he slowly exits the room to close this time exiting.

In the next room he finds his hat and scarf, he looks over his apparel and grumbles "I need to get ready for tonight…" he grabs the two items and readies to leave knowing several hours till the time he waited so long for.

* * *

Joker sat with his cronies in the main chamber of his building. He explained this plan several times, piece by piece and step by step. Then he asked, "Any questions?"

The man who raised his hand was shot square in the head, Joker smiled darkly with the smoking gun asking, "Anymore questions?"

They all shook their heads no so he dismissed them, telling them to "Study your routines because if you don't I'll kill you!" they instantly started studying, he sighed as they left "Tonight will be a night to remember. I so love a good show, it makes me feel like a kid-psycho again."

* * *

There had been several hours passed when Raven re-entered the living room. She looked to find the guys now changed into their suits most likely as something boring was on TV and she coughed to get their attentions. She wore the dress from the mall, and the high-heeled shoes black as it, plus long silken gloves that ended at about her upper bicep. Her hair was done into a bun at the top, and left were two bangs hanging at the front sides. She had black lip stick on, and her eyes were shadowed lightly. Her body fit so wonderfully, and she was so damn good the three boys all drool at this. Then she smiled, asking, "You like it?"

They ogle and gurgle but not really any words. She had to laugh and soon she was accompanied by Starfire. The boys also look at her like she was a piece of meat, but Robin is the one doing the most gawking. Star wore a red shimmering dress which seemed to have the long bottom half, but the top are red straps of three for each shoulder coming off the bottom and around the shoulders wrapping around the back of the neck. They were so loose, it would take little effort to perhaps… you know, move them. She also had a strap along the center back and three laces over the front stomach to keep it from moving too much… though it would be difficult if she moved a little too much let's say, if fighting! Her long heels were also black, and she wore short red gloves. This was where she looked at them as they all wore black tuxes, "Why is it the males on your world wear the same garment, yet we women must wear attire which is so garish if not uncomfortable to look desirable?"

"Because men look like men, and women look like women." Raven answered so flatly it was almost sad. She now swung around screaming "Now let's get to the party!"

Cyborg pulls off his sleeve to see a watch "Uh, we still have a couple hours."

"Oh…"

Robin stood looking at Starfire, "That um… dress…"

She giggled, "Do you like it?"

"Don't you think it's a little too showy? I mean, if you move the wrong way it could show things you may not want it to show."

She looked and nodded, "That is why I wore this." She pulled the straps out of the way and Robin went to cover his eyes, but he looked and saw the red Triangle bikini top, the two red bikini triangle fabrics covered her fairly nicely and held her in place. Then she left the straps fall back, and smiled innocently "I did not agree with this dress the first time it was bought. However, many male fans came and told me the words of attractiveness to convince me it was a most enjoyable outfit."

"I'm sure they did." Cyborg elbowed Beast Boy who was obviously more concerned with the skin he thought was under the straps…

The group arrives at the entrance to the party; it seems it was a large banquet building with several fleets of stairs. They go up and along the top they find Will, he is with his back turned fondling the mask, under his tux was the black outfit. When he hears Raven he hides the mask, then turns to greet them. He stops dead, and grabs his chest before continuing down "My god, you are the spitting image of perfect Raven. That dress makes me want to drop and beg!"

"Really?" she quirked a brow but asked "Why aren't you bowing then?"

"Oh, well let's see…" he dropped to a knee and held her hand up a little, "Oh my goddess, please grace me with the privilege, nay honor, to accompany you tonight."

She seemed to giggle, and then raise him up saying "You may oh kind, and just Will."

To this, Beast Boy is wide eyed saying "I think I totally just saw something cool."

"Yeah, it's called knowing what you're doing when romancing women." Cyborg laughed as Beast Boy glared death on him.

Starfire shivered a little and Robin swung his top over her shoulders, she looked at him seeing a vest was over his dress shirt, it was a black one with gray designs over it. With a slight tint, she said "Thank you. I wore this dress to make a good impression but it seems it may be less useful to the elements."

"Don't mention it." He glared down to the man who fell looking at her dress, and he might have broken a rib or two but when she looked he leapt up and waved, before limping off slowly. Robin shook his head saying "I am supposed to protect people and keeping that jacket on might just do that."

Raven had to snicker, "Gee Star you certainly made an impression with that guy." The group gave little laughs and chuckles. They now head inward and took in the scenery. A fine buffet was where Cyborg and Beast Boy ran towards. Robin and Starfire took to a table to sit down, Robin pointed out how the red tablecloths matched Star's own dress exactly. Will took Raven out onto the floor, and they slowly waited for the next song as this one was close to an end, it began and to Slade's pleasure it was a slow song. He took her one hand and laid it on her shoulder, hers to his waist, and then both gave hands out to their sides before moving along the floor. She stepped on his foot, after apologizing and going again he laugher to asked "Have you ever danced like this…" she stomped his foot, "Ow, I'm guessing no?"

She blushed, "No, I never really thought I'd need to learn." She looked up so shy it was cute, "I never thought I'd have someone ask me."

Slade took that and smiled, to think she was enjoying herself so much. Then he knew what he'd have to tell her. "Raven…"

* * *

The red sports car is halted by a police officer. The officer took out his pad, dropped his cigarette, and walked to the side of the car. The window goes down, he stoops in and asks "Name and registration?" he looked up, and fear is all over his face before the black gloved hand snatches his face and twists his head clear around like a wind up doll, it did this seven times! Then, as the officer fell dead the deep voice rumbles out, "S.L.A.D.E." and they drove off like a bat out of hell, or in this case mutant.

* * *

Will held her tightly; she listened now as he explained his life. He first told her he wasn't actually 25… that got a stunned look. He couldn't remember how old he was but it sure as hell wasn't 25. He wasn't really old, maybe 30 something, or a little older but nothing too extreme. He would live a long time maybe even longer than her, but he wasn't sure that much was uncertain. Thanks to the experiments he does not honestly age. The only thing that changes are his hair color, it was white now mostly from the many times he has died and not so much age. He falsifies records and identification though, and she slowly took all the information in sort of fighting an urge to cry. She understood his lying to her but still did not like it. It made her now fear what else was to be told. She did not so much fear it, as pity it when she heard of his wife next.

Slade told her his entire story, his long and wretched life. He told of the woman he married after being kicked from the military. How he lied to her for several years of his mercenary work. How she tried to kill him after his life almost took his son's life. How he awoke to divorce papers in a hospital. How he hunted his former friend Dead Man in Japan, later moving to find a woman he called "Sweet Lillian" or "Lily" and had a child with her, not learning but several years later. How he battled with psychosis, how he did terrible things… but he did not tell her the name under all these he used.

He was silent, but Raven smiled up at him with a slight sadness in her smile. "Will?" he looked down and asked "Yes my Raven?"

"Your last name isn't McCloud is it?" he blinked, and remembered how he and those of the experiment can only be killed by total severing of the head from the body. He laughed and said "No, I'm Ramirez if anyone."

She furled her brows, "Ooh, I always thought he was kind of sexy in those movies."

"Really?" he tried a Scottish accent saying "Well mi lady, perhaps I can entertain your delights with this type of talk later on?"

She giggled, and he laughed as his fingers clasped her a little. He now became serious and said "The next things I tell you may become something much more disturbing. It will repulse you, or perhaps shatter everything in the world we've been a part of together. I would ask you to promise me not to scream, or to run, but in truth if I were you I would do exactly that Raven. I want you to know, I love you, and that alone makes it so very hard to say this."

Her first instinct is to say not to do it, or forget it. Yet there is a yearning to show her and tell her so she nods, and holds onto him deeply almost pledging that she would not run from him. He now reached into his jacket, she looked and he slowly stammered, "Raven I-I am… I am…"

He had such a hard time telling her and as her eyes looked on him with concern, and her view grazes the hand in his jacket, he soon prays for some miracle to give him an excuse to hold off a little longer. The sound of fireworks answers his prayers; and he with her turn to the double doors where the noise came from. The sound of clacking wood, rhythmic bong and clang sounds that could recall oriental meaning to Will made him smile realizing it was a kind of show. The doors are kicked open, and in three terrifying steps walked out a man in reeds and Japanese style armor, with hair in chopsticks and a mask with no eyes, and a long rounded nose red in color as the mask. Will looked at it closely, and he smiled as he saw it was a rendition of the Tengu of Japanese myth and lore. Mostly they were known as master warriors and quite good willed, doing good and fighting to keep balance among the world from those who dare destroy it with evil and power beyond the common limits. The Tengu also have a dastardly habit of playing pranks and kidnapping people, Will had a suspicion that was this one's game as he now ran and hopped about to the oriental music looking at the guests. When he stopped, he'd look at a woman and walk to her, his two hands in front of him to the side, sidestepping toward her his hands would shake more and more as if tuning into her as the music speeds up. Then, he'd move on as if the woman did not appease his higher taste as the Tengu proud beings they were being spirits of the forests. The Tengu now stopped with his arms out on Raven; she was startled as it now seemed to come on her. The Tengu kept coming, and then the music started but this time he grabbed her hands and tried to drag her out. She pulled, and turned asking "Will, what you were going to ask me?"

He just saw a smile on her face and said "No you go on! I'll tell you later!"

She was now hefted onto the Tengu's shoulder as he paraded her around the room. His one arm over her, the other on his hip he hopped about to the music happy as could be. Then came the change of music. It seems the doors open and out came a large group of ninjas soon surrounding the Tengu. He was alarmed, and in an instant he drew upon the sky where a long staff with rings circling its end fell down. Twirling the staff he disarmed the ninja, and then he points it on them and they fell "dead" as to the performance. The music is the song it was before and the Tengu takes young maiden off his shoulder. He swings her in the air by the waist and the music slows down. Raven had to admit that was a lot of fun she smiled a lot harder than usually she would. What she was not expecting is the smile behind the Tengu's mask, as he partially revealed it and she frowned. "I should have known your nose was the only one that would fit inside that mask!"

"Ooh, a regular spitfire!" The Joker tossed the mask and asked "How my boys mistaken you for a boy before is well beyond me my dear!"

That was the cue for the ninja to rise up and brandishing pistols on the guests, soon came more goons not in clothes and Preacher and his companions Baby-bop and Pitch. With them were the other two criminals from the Brood called Covet and Gullet. The team assembled as Joker wrapped his arm around Raven, "No kiss for the brave hero?" but he only received a slap and listened to her teleport off and next to Will. "Ah, I see we have a man already! Such a fine fellow EYE SEE you with, get it? EYE, SEE!" he laughs to make fun of Will's missing an eye, to which he and her just kind of look blankly. Joker lessens the laughter to then frown, but smiled as he pulled out his gun and killed one of his hired men in the ninja costumes, "I almost forgot he was off his cue in the fight. Thanks for reminding me!"

"We didn't plan on it!" Raven snarled lowly, but he merely smiled on with a shrug before preparing to turn the gun on them.

That is when a ninja-star struck his gun from him, "What the…" he looked to where it had been thrown and there was a familiar man in black with a scarf and hat. Dead Man tipped his hat, and jumped from the table he was on with a large leg of chicken. He took off the scarf and gnawed the bird in his mouth. "Sorry, (munch) but I have plans for them still. (Snort) Where the hell is that big (slurp) lummox anyway?"

That was the moment a series of thumping came from above and cracks appeared in distances of steps. Dead Man looked up and then pulled his watch out, not owning one he shrugged and started to eat the chicken again. The ceiling is now crashed in with a large fist, Will pulls Raven behind him in instinct. The next fist, and then stomping in one spot causes the roof to cave in and soon down dropped a figure in all black with a twisted face. This monster was here and the heroes, even Joker with his villains minus one Dead Man looked in horror as Nemesis stood slowly. He had a large metal like box strapped to his back. Nemesis looked at Will and as he was so stunned, it to him actually seemed to be smiling. Plucking the holders on the straps the large crate breaks up the floor showing how heavy it must have been but it carried it with not a problem. Then he pointed out his large, clawed finger to Will. Then its mouth allowed a long tongue to lick the fangs as there were not a set of lips. It spoke, and it said something more horrifying than Will ever would hear in his life, for it was where it said it and as it pointed to him validating him as the target. It said, gruffly,

"S.L.A.D.E.!"

* * *

Slade stood still; he was frozen in time but not the world around him. He knew this as his heightened senses picked up on Raven and she looked to him in such horror. The way she shook and how she seemed even paler now made him slowly turn and notice it. Her eyes were shaking harder than her though, they shook and became the on the verge of tears as he was looking at her with great sadness. He was solemn as solemn could be while he closed his eye and reached into his jacket. Pulling out the mask she gasped deep a breath, he froze his arm but holding it there was not helping anyhow. He held it there, and then he looked on her with her hands to her lips. She was trying to keep the feelings ripping in her insides from screaming out. Slade stood still, and then he whispered, "I'm sorry, but you needed to know." She was standing like a deer in the head lights as water fell from her eyes like Niagara falls. Slade smiled to her with a slight dead look in his eyes, "I love you."

Slade was then gripped from the neck and tossed the distance. Raven didn't say anything but watched the man she loved, and perhaps hated, most in the world be thrown to a distant table crashing through it. Nemesis growled lowly then grunted as he dragged the large crate container with him. It lowly hissed, "S.L.A.D.E." and followed the target it had chosen. Raven looked to see Will, still Will with his tux and white hair now pull off the tuxedo revealing the black spandex like apparel, pulling a gray pouch belt from inside the jacket, and finally putting on the mask she saw many times in her nightmares.

The titans ran to her side. She had her hands trembling and her mind screaming with emotions and points of view. She grabbed her head and fell to her knees, she screamed in her mind for them to stop. The only other voice that spoke is Robin. He hates Slade, he hates Will, yet he asks "What do we do Raven? What do we do?"

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, Deathstroke, The Joker, Dead Man Wade, Nemesis or those dresses though they seem like nice designs… what do you think? I do take credit to the Brood, the story, and the Kage-jin. What a chapter I hope you all liked this one it's a big emotional rollercoaster! Well, I tried to make it one at least.


	13. Chapter 13

Brittle Glass

Chapter 13: No More Parties

Raven… Teen titan… and the love of Will…

"I'm none of those…" her voice echoes into the darkness, "I'm nothing… will forever be nothing…"

They moan, and wail in an echo of lost nothingness, they are a creature… a breed… and the seek…

"This is… not where I… belong…"

They are beyond age, demon and angel fear them, life cowers from them…

"What's happening…"

There are worlds that transcend the worlds of man, the dreams of gods… the worlds of…

"Help me… please…" She whispers, "Will… save me…"

That is when she is here, a diner. This little rustic diner has her looking around, confused… "Wait… where am I?"  
"Here." She turns to the man with the long trench, shades, and he's eating a slice of pie. "Where that is… I don't know. I think you made it because _they_ almost had you."

Raven looks confused, but as she turns outside the windows… she jumps up knocking a cup of coffee from the countertop, an endless sea of darkness and golden orbs look at her… scratching at the walls, and she gasps, "What are they?"

"They are the ones who become nothing, who have no will anymore…" He turns removing his shades, to show two glowing orbs of gold, "I know, for I am one of their kind."

She is startled, and looks at him asking "What are you… they, those things and you looking for?"  
The figure puts back his shades and says, a smile, "I'm looking to end the nothingness… but they, they want to end everything else. I suppose…" he eats a piece of pie and smiles, "You would say it's you both of us are here to see."

* * *

Slade stumbled back his head slapping to the stone wall, what on earth… the large foot smashing next to him now awoke his senses, the monster… almost forgot. He took staff in hand and banged it's knee but little could that do with a huge muscle-toned limb like this now ripping from the wall and to cradle of Slade, taking him in tow by two clawed hands which now toss him incredibly across the room. Slade smashes into a table with some décor, shaking his head as he swung around looking at the monster, Nemesis, stepping slowly toward him with a sick shine to it's fangs and slicking maul via the monster's whip-like tongue.

One can only imagine the beast's thinking, the thoughts of hate and rage. It growled as it got ever closer and attempts to soon reach for it's prey, but there was a honking, and Nemesis turns to the collapsing wall where a large black limo smashed in and rammed the monster several feet in the air. It screamed and fell hard, before standing erect from the waist up like those horror-film creatures of old would looking intently to the driver.

Wintergreen called out his window, "This would be a good time to perhaps leave?"  
Slade gave a snort, no way he's retreating. Especially not without… "RAVEN!!!" he turned to see her on the floor, huddled, and he growls as he slams his fist on the trunk, "Wintergreen! I want my OLD gear!!!"

Wintergreen turns, and frowns but flips a switch it was a long time since he had that gear…

Nemesis was on his feet walking slowly, stopping a moment as he ROARED in rage his fangs sending a torrent burst of foul-odor. However, it's the bullets riddling him next that made the roar slowly end to a little grunt of irritation. Slade stood as his own outfit, but there is a line of ammo along his chest, a rifle aimed with a red light and now he cocked the lower-chamber to load a grenade, "You just don't know when to quit…" he aimed and fired as the grenade howls, then jams into the hole he made with the bullets to the chest where it explodes leaving a giant rift in the monster's chest, it stumbles back and head slacks almost like it is dead… but, it stood erect with a gleam in eye and grin from those teeth, before the flesh melds over and bone grows to have the hole gone, muscular abdominals and pectorals showing the places the hole in it's chest seemed to be. Slade, with a twitch, asks "Wintergreen… could you?"

The door opens and Wintergreen gave a nod with a large barreled gun, that he had pressed into the window to keep it balanced, "With gusto, sir." And he fires the rounds that nearly knock him back, and they did throw back Nemesis with the force.

Slade gave a nod and he ran around the limo aiming to one goal, Raven… his Raven.

* * *

Joker had a little trouble understanding this, but he asked the only one who in his opinion might know, "You!" Wade turns to Joker, "What the HELL is going on here?"  
"Fine you should ask such a way…" Wade said in a manner of tone that seemed darker than usual, "You see, hell, is exactly what is going here. A personal hell, for one man…" he walked slowly toward the battle up ahead, saying, "You know I think I'm going to set up the final-act. See you around smiles."

Joker grabbed his face, irritation, agitation and unknown destination he growls "Why is it things are never easy? Can't I just kill people and BE left to the killing?"  
About then Robin screams, "JOKER!!!"  
"Oops, guess not." He mused as he turned with his band of miscreants, "Listen, I'm not sure what's going on… but I know I came her for Robin and his friends! SO first one to bring me the Teen Titans, gets the reward of not having me kill them!!!" He fired a starter pistol into the air, "Psychos, GO!!!"

Robin turned to Raven then the impeding march of maniacs, "Everyone! Protect Raven! Don't let them near her!!!" he took his Bo-staff in hand and ran with his eyes narrowing on the goon closest to him, a massive rib-cracker swing sends him to the path of a bull which gourde him before then trampling thru.

Cyborg tosses a chair, but fires his cannon making it splinter into the small group of goons, where he now leapt into and screamed with massive swings of his teen-fist-o-fury! With his fists now were bolts, Starfire dived in and fired making little work of the ones with weapons, not letting them harm her friends. The teens were on top of their game… until…

"Foul ignorance, of the youth, of the non-believers of god's word!" a swirling mist took them by surprise and bound them with chains of shadow, like ones Raven would use. "You, have no right to challenge the will of my god, my master…" he, Preacher, stood forth and held his book in hand with staff in tow, "Look upon ye and repent! Lest be devoured by the beasts that are yours to be feasted upon!"

The titans were now stuck, and Robin snarls, "For a holy-man you sure seem unholy to me!" He scrambled to his feet but the chains now made hooks taking and latching the ground. Robin screams torn to his knees, and now bowing to Preacher, he snarls, "I ever get my hands on you…"

Preacher has a smile on his face, "Boy, you shall never harm we who do not exist. For we, are of the Nothingness, and we are impervious to your beings of creation."

Gluttony, who has been quiet had a grin, "Hey you missed one." He waddled toward Raven asking, "Can I eat her?"

Preacher did not care, he nodded as Covet said "Sure tubby! Go to town!"

Gluttony was delighted, and his belly-button… grew wide? That is when it rips and a mouth of fangs, with tendrils seems to expand wide enough to take a person inside. Gluttony chuckles asking, "What you think this birdie tastes like?" his tendrils took her ankle, "Chicken?"  
Covet, with a snort, only shrugged as he was waiting to see his partner do what he does best. Gluttony's stomach was immense when, from nowhere, leapt a figure into the stomach? Gluttony is chuckling as it seems like suicide, but then he feels ill. His skin, and flesh, begins to smoke and he screams as he stumbles, his tendrils wailing about. Soon he roars in pain as he bursts into white flames and in his place, there now stood Slade in his soul-self. He turns to Covet who already storms on him in rage, and Slade snorts before taking and snapping his fingers onto Covet's face soon burning him into ash too. His next target, Preacher…

"Well, it seems the beast has taken a new prodigy. I will not be so easily beaten…" Preacher raised his staff… and… he vanishes with a shadowy swirl.

Slade stood there… then, he blinks, "He just… ran away?"  
Raven whimpers in her state, and Slade turned to reach for her… but the flames, now active he fears what they will do. Suddenly, they disappear, he's not sure how… or why, but he sighs in relief taking her in his arms. Robin screams, "SLADE!!!"

Slade turns, and narrows his eye to the boy, "She is in danger… I can't leave her here, like this."

Robin narrows his own eyes in dramatic challenge, and warning… "If you harm her…"

"I will not put her in danger, or else…" he looks to her, a sadness in his eyes, "I will forfeit the last remaining piece of my world…"

Robin is still chained with the others as Slade ran with her, he sighed… now what?

* * *

Raven was still so nervous… "What am I here for?"  
"You're the one who came here, I just helped set you…"

Raven growled, irritated with that response, "How can I get out?"  
"You know the way, though there are two… don't take that one," he motions to the door the monsters, those… Nothings seem to be hoarded at. "I wouldn't if I had the choice."

Raven glared, and thought… "What made me come…" she tensed, "Slade… Will is…"

"Will…"

She blinked, and turned to the unusual man, "Will is…"

"Will…" he spoke once more now sipping his coffee.

She looked at him, and raised a brow, "No, Will is actually…"

"Will…" He said one more time now as he placed the cup down and turned to her, "For in the end, you are you not just the person but the hero, for they are one, and you are that one. He is he, for he is that one and thus, you are two and something special as one."

A moment, and Raven just faulted her face, "Huh?"  
About that time, she felt someone calling her… seeking her… and she knew, "Will?" She followed to the back where she found the back exit… she was now looking to the man, he only drank and ate. "Um… thank you, I guess?"  
"Sure… anytime…" he sipped once more, and she left. This time now he folded his napkin to pat his lips… and said, "Looks like I was right after all…"

* * *

She woke slowly as now she has to be on the roof, where she slowly realized she's being held. Raven's eyes look to the one holding her, "Will…" she smiled, but a moment of his mask… "Slade!" she screams, a black force bucking his arms and then allowing her to fly from his arms. She stood, energy rolling from her muscles as she snarls looking at him. "How could you… you're a sick, disgusting monster Slade."

Slade… no, Will looked stunned, "Raven…" he shunned his eyes from her, "I wanted to tell you my dear, so many times I wanted to tell you what was the truth."  
"But you didn't!" she growls like a rabid hound from hell, "You lied to me! You lied about your real identity!"

"THIS is my real identity! Will, that's the REAL me! Not the man who attacks you and your friends, Slade Wilson… it might be my name, but my name is no more important than the one you gave me."  
Raven slowly looks at the ground… she lied too, about her name and all… but, was that the same? This was SLADE! THE SLADE!!! The mad man, the psychopath…

"I won't fall for your tricks…" she whispers, trying to validate her fears…

Slade, or Will tries to think what to say to explain his need of her, but only… "Raven…" she looks to him, "If you leave me, my world will mean nothing. You are the last GOOD thing I have in my wretched life. Without you, my love… I think my world will shatter like…. Like…." He looks to her, seeing her look at him in anticipation, "Just like brittle glass…"

Silence… a long, and deep silence while the two look to one another. Raven's energy has stopped rolling off her, her eyes look to him with great need. She needs him too, but… can she REALLY be with him? Then it sinks in…

"_For in the end, you are you not just the person but the hero, for they are one, and you are that one._ _He is he, for he is that one and thus, you are two and something special as one."_

Raven runs to him and clasps to his chest, crying, "WILL!!!"

Will holds her, tightly, as if he had lost her for almost all his life… without her his life was that though without her. "Raven… oh, thank the gods you're here…"

The two are together, silent. Then someone applauds. They turn eyes daring the one who dares intrude and enter the man in black, Raven is puzzled, but Will says, "Pakkrat?"

Raven turns to her lover, "What?" she then turns to the man in black, "Is that his name? Wait… I thought he was just some figment of my…" she now felt ill as there came a deep moaning all around them. Something, somewhere caused her to sense immense emotional irregularities. "What is… this?"  
The man in black shrugs, "Oh those? I think those are your powers being affected by The Nothings…" He smiles a bit as Slade holds her tightly, "Good, hold her tightly. Because you two have much to be close with one another for."

Then, from the shadows came a figure behind the two that seemed an elongated skirted lower-torso, and upper chest with long arms. It bobbed side to side as it came close one glowing golden eye it's only distinct feature. As Slade and Raven turn, the man in black went thru them and clasped the creature by the head crushing it with all his might. A moment it dissipates… and the man says, "This is the last we'll meet… from here on, they will not stop till one or both of you are dead."

* * *

Robin is freed and he scrambles up, "SLADE!!!" he charges toward where the madman had gone. But that was no help as a shot now tore into his shoulder. Screaming Robin grabs the grazed shoulder, and turns to the long-nosed smiling mad-man Joker. "You…"

"Gee, here I was thinking you forgot I was even alive!" Joker twirls his cane as it also was a gun, and standing on it he leans with it mockingly in a sense of aristocrat demeanor, "You sure look the same, but more… well, let's say CRAZY than when we last met. Must be all that teen-angst I hear about." He saw how the other Titans were now coming off the floor, "Oh, but look we have a FUN gang-o-misfits! The Teen-Titans all up and about, minus the one… mind you." He cackles as he soon flips the cane and fires several rounds toward the teens.

Cyborg, his metallic hide was enough for those bullets so he blocks the bullets for his allies. Robin screams, "Beast Boy, table now!"

Beast Boy nods and turns to a gorilla to take one table and toss it, while it is going Robin screams, "Starfire!!!" he looks to her, and blushes… "Um… uh, use your bolts…"

She nods and tosses her bolts as Joker rolls from the table. Two or three miss, but the lucky one strikes Joker's cane making him drop it so he turns and runs into the kitchen.

She screams jumping up with joy but Robin swings his cape around her, "Star… don't do that…" he is blushing madly while she looks down. And she sees her upper dress hanging from her waist and his cape held her top covered, while her bikini-top was… well, on the floor at her feet.

Star blushes as she takes the cape to her chest, "Um, yes I understand now… thank you." She turns to a table cloth and wraps it like a long cape over her top. Then, offers back Robin's cape.

Robin took his cape and ran while he was headed toward the kitchen, he snaps his cape on again. "Titans, GO!!!" and he kicks in the kitchen door… to be slammed out from a large stove-monster?  
"OH looks like some-one's trying to play with the boss!" Baby-bop scoots out with his strange Stove-armor with plates as arms, and forks/spoons/knives as fingers. "If you can't tell… with my imagination, I can materialize material around me like anything I want." Baby-Bop chuckles a dark manner, "Now… how about we PLAY!!!" and from his armor fired flames of incredible heat. However… he has a metal-man smash his armor and then yanks Baby-Bop out holding him by the scruff. The armor falls apart and Baby-Bop squirms and kicks his legs.

Cyborg, with a smile asks, "You know anybody by the name of Gizmo?"

Beast Boy runs saying, "We gotta go!" the others were ahead of the two. "Or else we…" and then there came a sound-blast sending Beast Boy flailing backwards. Pitch came in and smiled, "Aye, there be a heaping helping of my hospitality!!!"  
Cyborg frowns and tosses Baby-Bop into Pitch's head, "How bout mine?"

Pitch fell to the… well, pitch… and has to say, "Big trouble in little china…" before blacking out with his miniature partner saying, "I hate you…" before zoning out.

Cyborg goes to Beast Boy and asks, "You okay man?"

Beast Boy rubs his head, "Yeah… just…" he looks up and pushes him out of the way of the speeding limo before they both look as it rams out the building with a large zombie-monster chaces after firing rounds of ammo. To that, Beast Boy remarks, "Dude… if this is okay I'm not sure WHAT the hell is going to be unusual!!!" he then holds up his hand, "Isn't this Starfire's bra?"

Robin and Star ran into the kitchen where first a barrage of knives, with pans and even a rolling pin seemed to be every turn. Joker bolts out into the streets while they follow and he stops at the end of the alley, "You kids are persistent to be sure. Yet, in the end you should know you never should just follow a mad man." He turns with a device in his hand, "After all… you never know WHAT is going to happen!!!" and he pushes the switch to cause the alley to explode with immense force. He, the Joker, ran into his van and drove off leaving his "partners" to their own demises and such.

Robin pushes off the rubble holding Star's shoulders, "It's okay Starfire, we're…" he blinks, her shoulders felt kind of… nice… "Um…" he blushes and looks at her, then scrambles up screaming, "OH MY GOD!!! I'M SO SORRY!!!"

Starfire pulled her cloth tighter around herself blushing, "It is quite alright, you were protecting me friend Robin." She smiled to him, still a bit embarrassed, "Should we continue chasing The Joker?"

Robin shook his head, then… "Oh no…" he slaps his head, "RAVEN!!!"

* * *

On the roof, the man in black smiles to say, "You should run…"

Slade asks "Why are you helping us?"  
"It's helping me." He says calmly, "If I keep you from this… maybe, what I have become means something. Then I won't be a Nothing anymore." He cocks his head, "Go, they won't stop. Where there is something the Nothings will seek it. Just go."

The two, confused, ran for it while leaving the man in black. He sighs, asking, "Where are you?"

He turns and smirks, "Oh…" there is a black form, tall and over him that has a dual set of the glowing eyes, black wraps seem to flow around him as his arms clasp the man in black making him slowly dissolve away, "I was expecting you to find me…" the man in black chuckles to himself, "I can't wait till they kick your immortal…" and he dissapeared in the darkness...

* * *

Slade and Raven were partially off the large roof and heading to the one next door. That was when…

There is a song playing off a boom-box, Slade stops dead with Raven, "I know…" Slade turns up to the figure of Dead-Man Wade his long coat open showing the red and black outfit, a red mask over hid head with red pendulum like patches around white eyes now all together in his outfit this was… the real, dead man. "You're still around being a pain in my…"

"I love this song… Blood Red Sandman… from my favorite group Lordi. You know what?" he leapt down and charges Slade screaming, "It always puts me in the mood to KILL someone!!!"

Slade pushes Raven back with his sword at the ready, "Damn… alright! Let's finish this!" Slade swings as he clangs with Wade, the two backing to then charge. Wade flashes a strike but is unable to connect, he rolls and swings for Slade's leg. Slade, in a leap passes the strike to then land and swing around stabbing his sword into the ground taking the jacket. Wade pulls out and rolls forward to stand, so with him Slade stood so they can stand even with blades ready.

Wade smiles asking, "What's the matter? Has it been THAT long since you killed someone?"

Slade screams and swings as Wade dodges and evades each attack to then pull back sending a strong forward stab to Slade's chest. Slade barely turns on his side, to slice his sword to the forearm of his enemy, then running past he turns back sword straight up, at the ready. Wade looks at the mark and sighs as it heals, "You're going…" he turns screaming, "TO PAY FOR THAT!!!" and he swings like mad with both swords while Slade blocks and weaves thru the mad attacks. The two stand off a second, on one and another's heels.

This is when Raven calls her powers, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" and sent parts of the roof hurling at Wade. Wade sneaks a knee to the chest of Slade, there he tosses his rival into the coming debris while rolling from it. Slade is struck and hurt, a bone snapping out than back with his power. Raven stops to now feel a fist to her face, Wade snatching her by the neck and tossing her, snarling, "Stay out of this you witch!" he turns and immediately leaps into the air thrusting his blades down on Slade, Slade rolling out from them, to allow the mad-man Wade to pull his blades and slash around himself narrowly taking a limb from Slade.

Slade stood, to block and then smack at one sword that was upon him. Then he ran strafing his sword with Wade beside him, the two countering one another while in run. They skid to a halt, and slash Wade's two blades each blocked over and over by the one of Slade. Slade screams, "Give it up!" he then spins with his sword taking the one sword from the Dead Man, "We're not going to solve this like before! We are NOT the same men anymore!"  
"LIAR!" Wade swung down as his sword imbeds the roof. Slade, spinning again slashes but Wade rolls back on his bottom, then to a sprawl kneel he rams Slade knocking the sword from Slade as they tumble the roof several feet punching and kneeing one another.

While they battle, Raven slowly gets up and sighs. This was getting to be tiring. She saw how they fought and worried, Slade is not going to be killed… he's immortal, well, except his head. She then realized, "Slade…" she smiles, taking the sword that belonged to Slade in her energy, "SLADE!!! Your sword!!!"

Slade kicks off Dead Man and takes his sword to spin around, and stab Dead Man in the chest before saying, "This time…" Dead Man grabs for the blade but it is out, and now swinging in the air, "STAY DEAD!!!"

There is a snap, a pop… and the head rolling on the ground. Slade steps slowly panting and huffing, his mask was off… torn in the brawl. He turns to Raven with red blood on his face, his chest… and smiles to her. "Raven…" she smiles to him, "Thank you my…" then, her smile is horror. Slade turns and blinks there was no one there. He then feels the knee to his stomach, someone took his sword and jammed it in his chest forcing him back and into the roof. Pinning him, Slade screams while he then feels the sword being pushed left and right DEEP into his flesh. Slade feels the blade be ripped out, then jammed in repeatedly with his chest being stabbed over and over into the roof.

After moments, Raven sends her attacks but the body leaps on her without it's HEAD! Yes, then it slaps her before then taking her by the ankle and throwing her clear across the roof into a ventilation chute. There, the body takes one sword, then the other and slides them into sheaths. Slade watches in confusion… no, even HE can't do this! His body can not withstand the separation of the head! How is it still moving, acting without a head? Then he looks to the head as it sat there, the mask was missing showing the clean slice of the neck, the smiling visage, as it says… "Peek-a-boo!"

"How… can you…" he spits up blood, it's not possible…

"Well, I see you're confused." Wade is picked up by his body, "You see…" then, placed stump-to-stump the neck melds back to the body, "Cancerous tissue grows at an alarming rate Slade. When I was mutated, it seems the cancer I was trying to heal, in truth intensified my own healing factor. I'm like one giant tumor, and boy you know how hard they are to kill. Leave one piece, they keep growing and growing." Wade has to laugh as he moves toward Raven, "I guess I win again… huh?"  
"NO!" Slade tries to move but his chest was badly injured, "Leave… her out… of this…"

Wade only smiles while he tosses her on his shoulder, "I can't. You brought her into this." He then snidely adds, "I'll see you in hell Slade… see you, with your little girlfriend here. We'll be having a good time till then, I mean a REALLY good time!" and he leapt off the building screaming with hideous laughter.

Slade cries her name, her to awake… but, all he then can do is taste the blood rolling in his mouth before, all goes hazy… and he falls back unconscious.

Hell… that's where he was… without her…

Note: Sorry took longer than I hoped. This is the next big chapter. Soon we have LOTS more good stuff to come. Lol. Wait till you see what is going to happen… see you again.


End file.
